Gilmore Days
by mocha-queen
Summary: *UPDATED:Look Who's Crazy Now* Today's Episode: Christopher comes back; Lane struggles with her Mom regarding Dave. This is a 'season' of Gilmore Girls, stay tuned to find out what happens next. (R/J, L/L)
1. Beauty and the Beast

Title: Beauty and the Beast  
  
Author: PG  
  
Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me. All of it belongs to those whose names appear on screen.  
  
Spoilers: General Season 2, it takes place in season 3.  
  
Author Note(s): Feedback greatly appreciated. Not demanded (because I don't like that), but greatly appreciated. Helps the ego, helps the muses.  
  
This is my first script style fic. I hope it turned out okay.  
  
This fic is less dark and less angsty than my last. It's happy and funny and it does have a happy ending.  
  
Summary: Rory gets the lead in the school play, Beauty and the Beast and Jess helps her with her lines. Will all the time spent together lead to something more? (Literati)  
  
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AFTER SCHOOL AT LUKE'S DINER  
  
[RORY walks into the Diner.]  
  
RORY: Mom!  
  
LORELAI: Over here, behind the coffee pot!  
  
[RORY sits with LORELAI at the bar.]  
  
RORY: Guess what?  
  
LORELAI: Oooh! I love this game. Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillipe had a baby with three heads?  
  
RORY: No.  
  
LORELAI: Uhhh, Luke took his baseball cap off? No! Wait! He wore it the front way?  
  
RORY: No. But I would like to see that.  
  
LORELAI: Okay. The cabbage and the celery got together and are planning on staging an attack on the gazebo?  
  
RORY: No. And I think this conversation has gone far enough. [sighing] I'm going to be in the school play.  
  
LORELAI: Come again? I thought I just heard you say you were going to be in the school play.  
  
RORY: I did.  
  
LORELAI: And you are in the school play because.  
  
RORY: Because I needed a drama component to graduate, so I tried out for the school play.  
  
LORELAI: Okay. What play?  
  
RORY: Beauty and the Beast.  
  
LORELAI: Good choice. Who are you?  
  
RORY: Belle.  
  
LORELAI: Belle as in the main character, Belle? Or Bell as a ringing bell. I think you would do very well as a bronze noisemaker. I can see the headlines now. Rory Gilmore, portrays bell very well. [beat] Hey! Rhyme!  
  
RORY: Main character.  
  
LORELAI: Honey, I don't mean to be offensive, but how did you get the part? I mean, it's not like you act, and your singing. While it does beat Marriah, it holds no candle to the sounds of Michelle.  
  
RORY: I think they picked names out of a hat.  
  
LORELAI: [nods and drinks her coffee.] So, Belle, huh?  
  
RORY: Yeah. I was hoping to be on of the towns people or one of the servants.  
  
LORELAI: I think you would have made a very nice Mrs. Potts.  
  
RORY: Ah, yes. Maybe even a Chip.  
  
LORELAI: No, not Chip! Because then we would have to chip you for the part.  
  
RORY: I see pain in that.  
  
LORELAI: And therefore, plan is gone.  
  
RORY: Good.  
  
LORELAI: Need some help with your lines?  
  
RORY: Yes. But I was going to ask Dean. He's been upset that we haven't been spending any time together lately. This will be a good chance for us to hand out.  
  
LORELAI: That's good. I'm glad you're trying to make things okay with Dean. He was very mopey while you were gone.  
  
RORY: I'm not sure that was healthy, mom. Letting him mope all summer?  
  
LORELAI: I thought about getting him hooked on coffee, but then I figured you wouldn't want to come back home to a crazy boyfriend.  
  
RORY: [rolls her eyes] Thank you for sparing me the horror. You and me can take the excessive amounts of caffeine intake, but give it to any other human being and they are done for.  
  
[RORY looks out the window and sees DEAN across the street.]  
  
RORY: Ooh! Mom, I'm going to go ask Dean now. I'll be home soon. Love you!  
  
LORELAI: Love you, too!  
  
[RORY gets up and runs out side to DEAN]  
  
RORY: Hey, Dean! Wait up!  
  
DEAN: Hey, Rory. [they kiss] This is a nice surprise but I have to go to work.  
  
RORY: I know. I just wanted to ask you something.  
  
[DEAN nods, waiting for her to continue.]  
  
RORY: Because of a joke fate played on me, I am now the lead in Beauty and the Beast. So. I was wondering if you wanted to run lines with me after work.  
  
DEAN: That's okay, Rory, you can do it with your mom or Lane.  
  
RORY: [hurt] Why don't you want to run lines with me?  
  
DEAN: I don't like acting.  
  
RORY: All you have to do is read.  
  
DEAN: I don't like to read either, you know this.  
  
RORY: But you said you wanted to spend more time together, I thought that this would be a way to see each other more. With this play and my homework, I will hardly have any time for you.  
  
DEAN: [mumbles under his breath] And that's different from now?  
  
RORY: Huh?  
  
DEAN: Nothing. Practice with Lane, or your mom, or your Chilton friends. I gotta go to work, talk to you later.  
  
[DEAN runs into Doose's, leaving a sad RORY.]  
  
RORY: [quietly] Sure.  
  
[RORY slowly walks back into Luke's and sits down at a table. LORELAI has left. JESS comes and sits across from her.]  
  
JESS: What's up?  
  
RORY: I got the lead in Beauty and the Beast.  
  
JESS: That's. interesting.  
  
RORY: Yeah.  
  
JESS: Didn't peg you for an actress.  
  
RORY: I'm not. I need a drama thing to graduate. I tried out for the school play and got the lead.  
  
JESS: [quotes] For who could ever learn to love a beast?  
  
RORY: [mumbles] Yeah.  
  
JESS: Why are you upset? Getting the lead in a play isn't a bad thing. Harvard will look at it and say, 'Wow, this girl does it all.'  
  
RORY: [sighing] Its not the play. It's Dean.  
  
JESS: [annoyed] What'd he do now?  
  
RORY: I asked him to run lines with me so we could hang out. We haven't been spending time together and I thought this was a good way to see each other more. But he said he's not an actor and doesn't like to read. This sucks.  
  
[JESS nods, being supportive.]  
  
RORY: He said to practice with mom or Lane. But mom will be crazy and blow everything out of proportion. And Lane is grounded. Ug! I don't know what to do.  
  
JESS: [mumbles] I'll help you.  
  
RORY: Huh?  
  
JESS: [louder] I'll help you.  
  
RORY: You sure?  
  
JESS: Yeah, it'll be fun. We can hang out, I can give you coffee. I'm not an actor but I like to read.  
  
RORY: Are you sure you're sure?  
  
JESS: Of course.  
  
RORY: Okay. This is your choice, remember. And you can pull out when ever you want to. Okay?  
  
JESS: Okay.  
  
RORY: Fine. I'll come for dinner then after we can start.  
  
JESS: Sounds good.  
  
RORY: I'll see you later.  
  
[RORY gets up and runs out the door.]  
  
JESS: [to himself] You will.  
  
LATER AT LUKE'S DINER  
  
[RORY enters the diner. JESS stops cleaning the table and looks up at her.]  
  
JESS: You're back.  
  
RORY: [sitting at the bar] As I said I would be.  
  
JESS: You waiting for your mom or ordering now?  
  
RORY: I'm eating solo. Mom's at the Inn, something's wrong with something and she has to oversee the fixing.  
  
JESS: What'll it be?  
  
RORY: Burger, fries, and coffee.  
  
JESS: A healthy choice.  
  
RORY: [smiling] I think so.  
  
JESS: You will live a long and healthy life with healthy meals such as this one.  
  
RORY: You're turning into Luke, but with more sarcasm.  
  
JESS: Not good. I'll drop the health comments.  
  
RORY: Thank you.  
  
[RORY throws a book on the table. Title says BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: SCRIPT.]  
  
RORY: It's the script. Read it, know it, help me memorize it.  
  
JESS: [picks up the book] It's long.  
  
RORY: Is that a problem?  
  
JESS: No, it just means that we'll have to spend a lot of time together.  
  
RORY: [nods] It'll be fun.  
  
JESS: Dean will get mad.  
  
RORY: He's the one who didn't want to run lines.  
  
JESS: He's not going to see it like that.  
  
RORY: I'll deal with it when it happens.  
  
JESS: [nods] I have to work.  
  
RORY: Go. I'll tell you when I'm done.  
  
[JESS goes to take orders and RORY finishes her dinner.]  
  
RORY: [pushing her plate away] Done!  
  
JESS: That was fast.  
  
RORY: [defensively] I was hungry.  
  
JESS: Relax. I watch you scoff down food everyday.  
  
RORY: Oh, that's a comfort.  
  
JESS: If it will help, I won't feed you and there goes the possibility of stuffing your mouth with food.  
  
RORY: I think I'll keep my food, thank you very much.  
  
[JESS smirks and heads upstairs.]  
  
RORY: Hey! Where are you going?  
  
JESS: You did want to run lines, didn't you?  
  
RORY: Yeah. Let's go.  
  
[RORY follows JESS upstairs to the apartment. They sit down across from each other on the sofa. JESS pulls out the script.]  
  
JESS: Once upon a time in a far away land.  
  
RORY: [interrupting] Start at my part.  
  
JESS: Okay. [JESS flips some pages] Oh no!  
  
RORY: What?  
  
JESS: [shakes his head] I can't sing. I don't sing. I won't sing.  
  
RORY: Oh no! Singing!  
  
JESS: You did know it was a musical when you auditioned, correct?  
  
RORY: Yes. But it slipped my mind that I would have to sing in front of people.  
  
JESS: Chilton is overrated if this is all you know.  
  
RORY: Not funny. I don't want to sing in font of everyone!  
  
JESS: [giving in] Will it help if sung for you?  
  
RORY: [grinning] Yes!  
  
JESS: [groans] Fine.  
  
RORY: [singing] Little town, it's a quiet village.  
  
BACK IN LUKE'S DINER  
  
[RORY and JESS stand across from each other by the door. It's night.]  
  
RORY: Thanks for doing this.  
  
JESS: Pleasure's all mine.  
  
RORY: [smiles] Same thing tomorrow?  
  
JESS: [looks like he wants to kiss RORY.] Yeah.  
  
RORY: See you for breakfast.  
  
[RORY waves and walks home. JESS is left watching her walk away from him.]  
  
GILMORE LIVING ROOM  
  
[RORY walks into the house, LORELAI is sitting on the sofa watching TV.]  
  
LORELAI: How was it?  
  
RORY: [sits while smiling] Fine.  
  
LORELAI: *Just* fine?  
  
RORY: Yeah.  
  
LORELAI: [worried] No kissing?  
  
RORY: No kissing.  
  
LORELAI: Okay.  
  
RORY: Did you want there to be?  
  
LORELAI: No! No, it's just that you seem happy.  
  
RORY: Should I not be happy?  
  
LORELAI: [flustered] No. It's just. never mind.  
  
RORY: [frustrated] Okay. I'm going to go to bed now.  
  
LORELAI: Good night.  
  
RORY: Night.  
  
[RORY flops onto her bed and starts to read her script, but her thoughts are clearly elsewhere.]  
  
LUKE'S DINER  
  
[It's morning, RORY and LORELAI are sitting at the bar eating pancakes. JESS is sitting beside RORY, his script on the table beside them.]  
  
RORY: [as Belle] What do you know about my dreams, Gaston?  
  
JESS: [as Gaston] Plenty! Picture it... coming home after a hard day... my latest kill roasting over the fire... and my little wife, massaging my feet. While the little ones play on the floor with the dogs. We'll have six or seven.  
  
RORY: Dogs?  
  
JESS: No! Strapping boys, like me!  
  
RORY: Imagine that.  
  
JESS: And do you know who that little wife will be, Belle?  
  
RORY: Let me think.  
  
JESS: You, Belle!  
  
RORY: Gaston... I - I'm speechless... I really don't know what to say...  
  
JESS: Say you'll marry me!  
  
RORY: I'm truly sorry, Gaston... but I - I just don't deserve you!  
  
JESS: [back as JESS and clapping] How much do you have memorized?  
  
RORY: Quite a bit. The script is almost exactly like the movie and I've seen the movie like a zillion times.  
  
JESS: [looks out the window] Bus.  
  
RORY: [looks out as well] School! Right, I better go. See ya later.  
  
[RORY kisses her mom goodbye and runs out the door. Once RORY is gone LORELAI turns to glare at JESS.]  
  
LORELAI: Jess.  
  
JESS: What?  
  
LORELAI: Don't get in the way.  
  
JESS: Of what?  
  
LORELAI: Her and Dean.  
  
JESS: She came to me.  
  
LORELAI: [getting angry] Look, I know you like her. I know she likes you, whether or not she'll ever admit it. But she's happy with Dean. If you do anything to screw it up, I will come down here and beat you. [relaxes] We clear?  
  
[JESS shrugs and walks off, leaving an angry LORELAI.]  
  
LATER  
  
[It's raining outside. RORY runs into the diner, soaking wet.]  
  
JESS: Wet?  
  
RORY: [grumbling] That's what happens when you run in the rain.  
  
JESS: Want some dry clothes?  
  
RORY: [holds up a sports bag] I thought ahead. Mind if I change?  
  
JESS: [lifts his eyebrow] Can I watch?  
  
RORY: Ew! No!  
  
JESS: [shrugs] Worth a shot. Go, get changed. I'll have some coffee ready when you get back.  
  
RORY: [running up the stairs] Thanks!  
  
[RORY runs back down the stairs to see JESS sitting by the window. A cup of coffee and a coffee pot is waiting for her. She sits down and quickly drinks from the cup.]  
  
RORY: Thanks.  
  
JESS: Where do you want to start?  
  
RORY: [singing] Little town, it's a quiet village. Everyday, like the one before. Little town, filled with little people, waking up to say..  
  
[RORY and JESS have just finished going over the entire play.]  
  
RORY: I better go home.  
  
JESS: [looks out the window] No way. You're not going home in that weather.  
  
[It's raining hard, the wind is blowing everywhere, and there is lightning and thunder.]  
  
RORY: Well, what will I do then? Stay here?  
  
JESS: Why not?  
  
RORY: I don't have a change of clothes.  
  
JESS: We can dry your old ones.  
  
RORY: But what will Luke say?  
  
JESS: Luke!  
  
LUKE: [coming from the back] What?  
  
JESS: Can Rory stay here?  
  
LUKE: No.  
  
JESS: [pointing to the window] You're gonna let her out in that?  
  
LUKE: [looks outside] Fine, she can stay. Lorelai will kill me if I let Rory out in that.  
  
JESS: See, you can stay.  
  
RORY: Fine. Just let me call my Mom.  
  
[LUKE leaves. RORY picks up the phone and dials her house. No answer. She then dials LORElAI'S cell.]  
  
LORELAI: Hello?  
  
RORY: Mom.  
  
LORELAI: Where are you? I've called the house like 10 times.  
  
RORY: I'm at Luke's, remember?  
  
LORELAI: Right.  
  
RORY: Anyway. It's really stormy out and the guys won't let me go home so they are kidnapping me till tomorrow morning.  
  
LORELAI: Well then, here's your counter mission. Steal Luke's coffee.  
  
RORY: I'm a double agent?  
  
LORELAI: Just like Sydney Bristow.  
  
RORY: You're CIA?  
  
LORELAI: Is that so hard to believe?  
  
RORY: Yes.  
  
LORELAI: Fine, I'm SD-6 and your mission is to steal the brown powder in a bag, AKA Luke's coffee, and bring it back to head quarters ASAP. Sally will brief you on the tech.  
  
RORY: The coffee maker?  
  
LORELAI: Yes, after all, the coffee is for her.  
  
RORY: Whatever. Just called to tell you where I was.  
  
LORELAI: Don't do anything stupid.  
  
RORY: What?  
  
LORELAI: I mean it. No fooling around with Jess.  
  
RORY: Mom! What are you talking about? Nothing is going on between me and Jess. And even if there was, Luke's here.  
  
LORELAI: Fine.  
  
RORY: [annoyed] Bye.  
  
LORELAI: [frustrated] Bye.  
  
[RORY hangs up the phone and turns, bumping into JESS. He catches her in his arms and they regain their balance. They look into each other's eyes, not paying attention to anything else, including LUKE when he comes back in.]  
  
LUKE: What's going on?  
  
[RORY and JESS break apart.]  
  
RORY: [flustered] Nothing.  
  
[LUKE gives JESS a warning look.]  
  
JESS: Nothing! She bumped into me.  
  
LUKE: Fine. I'm going upstairs. Finish closing up when you're done. And please, don't do anything Lorelai wouldn't approve of.  
  
[LUKE goes up stairs leaving RORY and JESS alone. RORY slides down onto the floor dropping her head in her hands. JESS sits beside her.]  
  
RORY: [annoyed] Why does everybody keep telling me that? Don't do something stupid with Jess.  
  
JESS: You've heard my reputation.  
  
RORY: It's like they don't trust me.  
  
JESS: It's me they don't trust. They think I'm going to corrupt you.  
  
RORY: You're not.  
  
JESS: No, but they still think so. It's not like I give them reason to believe otherwise.  
  
RORY: Why is that?  
  
JESS: I don't like these people. Why should I pretend to enjoy their company?  
  
RORY: You could at least be civil.  
  
JESS: You don't think I try?  
  
RORY: [surprised] You do?  
  
JESS: [frustrated] Yes. Believe it or not, I have tried to get along with these freaks. But they don't want any of it. They like believing that I'm no good.  
  
RORY: [puts her arm across his shoulders for comfort] I don't think you're no good.  
  
JESS: You're the only one who does.  
  
[RORY pulls him into a hug and rests her chin on his shoulder. JESS slowly puts his arms around her. They sit there thinking, comfortably, for a few minutes. RORY reluctantly pulls away, feeling guilty. They go back to sitting up against the wall.]  
  
RORY: I have a boyfriend.  
  
JESS: I know.  
  
RORY: You like me.  
  
JESS: [long silence] I do.  
  
RORY: [quietly] I like you.  
  
JESS: [surprised] Do you?  
  
RORY: I'm not supposed to.  
  
JESS: You have a boyfriend.  
  
RORY: Dean.  
  
JESS: The freakishly tall bag boy, who has the intelligence of the bags he uses to put food into.  
  
RORY: I remember how weird I acted when I had a crush on him. I went into Doose's and bought a head of lettuce and a mousetrap. But I only had enough for the lettuce. I ran out of there so fast.  
  
JESS: You bought lettuce?  
  
RORY: I know. I'm glad I'm less flustered around you.  
  
JESS: You try harder.  
  
RORY: It's easier around you. Around you, I don't have to be careful about what I say, who I hang out with. We can have actual conversations about intelligent things.  
  
JESS: [nervous] Can I tell you something?  
  
RORY: Of course.  
  
JESS: You're the only person in this town who likes me, and the only one I can stand to be around. What ever happens, or doesn't happen between us. I still want to be friends.  
  
RORY: Me too.  
  
JESS: This isn't me. I'm not open. I'm not nice. But there's something about you.. Rory, you did something to me.  
  
RORY: [apologetic] I didn't mean to.  
  
JESS: Thank you.  
  
RORY: [relieved] You're welcome.  
  
JESS: [back to his usual self] Let's go run lines.  
  
[RORY and JESS go upstairs and rehearse.]  
  
MORNING  
  
[RORY comes down the stairs. She sees LORELAI sitting at a table waiting. RORY sits down across from LORELAI.]  
  
LORELAI: How was last night?  
  
RORY: [still a little annoyed] Fine.  
  
LORELAI: Look, Rory, I didn't mean to go all 'mom' on you, I just-  
  
RORY: I got it.  
  
LORELAI: [attentively] Are we okay.  
  
RORY: [clearly lying] We're fine.  
  
LORELAI: [hostile] Be that way. I have to go to work.  
  
[LORELAI gets up, RORY stops her.]  
  
RORY: What's wrong with Jess?  
  
LORELAI: Do you really want me to answer that?  
  
RORY: Yes. Why do you, and everyone else, always tell me to watch out for Jess?  
  
LORELAI: He steals, he lies, and he draws outlines of dead bodies. What's not wrong with him? He doesn't try to get along, all he does it sulks and makes sarcastic remarks, especially when he knows it will piss people off. I don't like him, Rory. But I refuse to be *that* controlling and forbid you to see him. I'm dealing with this the best way I can and that's by constantly reminding you that he's no good.  
  
RORY: Well, you can stop worrying. I'm fine, Mom. I've been hanging around Jess for months. Nothing's happened. I'm still Rory, I haven't changed.  
  
LORELAI: Yes you have.  
  
[LORELAI exits, leaving a stunned RORY at the table. RORY sees the bus and runs off to school. JESS heard RORY and LORELAI'S conversation from the stairs and appears at the doorway just in time to see RORY get on the bus.]  
  
CHILTON AUDITORIUM  
  
TEACHER: This may be the most important play you are ever in. It will be the last one before acceptance letters are sent out from the Universities you are planning to go to. Scouts will be watching those who wish to attend an acting school. I expect you to rehearse for at least two hours a night. I want the script fully memorized by the end of the week. Now, off you go. Rory and Greg, can I please talk to you?  
  
[TEACHER sits beside RORY and GREG.]  
  
TEACHER: As you are aware, there is a kissing scene in this play. In order for this play to be as real as possible, we were hoping to incorporate this kiss into the play. Do either of you have a problem with that?  
  
RORY and GREG: No.  
  
TEACHER: Good, I will let you two rehearse.  
  
[TEACHER leaves, RORY and GREG are left alone to talk.]  
  
GREG: You're Rory, I can see why you were cast. You have a striking resemblance to Belle.  
  
RORY: And you're Greg, who fortunately, looks nothing like the beast.  
  
GREG: So.. kissing, huh?  
  
RORY: Yeah.  
  
GREG: You okay with it?  
  
RORY: [a little unsure] I guess.  
  
GREG: It'll be fine. Purely professional. Do you have a boyfriend?  
  
RORY: Why?  
  
GREG: It's easier if you have a boyfriend, that way you don't get carried away with the kiss.  
  
RORY: I have a boyfriend.  
  
GREG: Good.  
  
RORY: You act a lot?  
  
GREG: It's only my first love.  
  
RORY: So you're good?  
  
GREG: I hope so.  
  
RORY: I'm not so great.  
  
GREG: How'd you get the lead, then?  
  
RORY: My theory is picking names out of a hat.  
  
GREG: Ahh, you're one of those academic girls who are only doing the play to graduate.  
  
RORY: [guilty] Busted.  
  
GREG: It's okay. A lot of students do that. But as long as you're dedicated, I'm fine with it.  
  
RORY: I'll do my best.  
  
GREG: [looking at his watch] I better go.  
  
RORY: Me too. My bus comes soon and I want to get home.  
  
GREG: If you ever need someone to run likes with..  
  
RORY: [smiling] I've got it covered, but thanks.  
  
GREG: I think you'll make an outstanding Belle.  
  
RORY: Wait till you see me act.  
  
GREG: I'm sure I'll be blown away. Goodbye, mademoiselle.  
  
RORY: Bye.  
  
STARS HOLLOW STREETS  
  
[RORY gets off the bus and goes to Luke's. JESS is there waiting tables.]  
  
JESS: How was rehearsal?  
  
RORY: [groans] I have to kiss him.  
  
JESS: Who?  
  
RORY: The beast.  
  
JESS: Well then, I'll have to help you on that ending. I say we should devote a few hours a day to that kissing scene, with me as your beast.  
  
RORY: You wish.  
  
[JESS raises his eyebrow, looking at RORY as if she should know the answer. RORY blushes remembering his crush on her.]  
  
RORY: Sorry. Bad comment.  
  
JESS: Practice the ending with Dean.  
  
RORY: Definitely.  
  
LATER-LUKE AND JESS'S APARTMENT  
  
RORY: [as Belle] It is you.  
  
[They had been rehearsing and were at the end. Both were wrapped up in the flow of the script. Slowly their heads inched forward until their lips were touching. It took a second before either realized what was going on and both pulled back quickly.]  
  
JESS: Sorry.  
  
RORY: We were caught up in the moment.  
  
JESS: It'll never happen again.  
  
RORY: We'll be more careful.  
  
JESS: This isn't good.  
  
RORY: Next time, we'll skip the ending entirely, there's not much dialogue anyway.  
  
[Silence settled amongst them.]  
  
RORY: [gets up] I should go.  
  
JESS: Good idea.  
  
RORY: I'll see you tomorrow.  
  
JESS: Yeah.  
  
GILMORE HOUSE  
  
[RORY comes in the front, LORELAI is no where in sight.]  
  
RORY: I'm home!  
  
LORELAI: Kitchen!  
  
[RORY goes to the kitchen. LORELAI is sitting at the table, obviously waiting for RORY. There is nothing on the table, not even coffee.]  
  
RORY: What's up?  
  
LORELAI: Nothing. How's the practicing going?  
  
RORY: [blushes a little] Good.  
  
LORELAI: Are you two.  
  
RORY: No.  
  
LORELAI: Because I've told you, repeatedly, I don't like you hanging around him.  
  
RORY: I do not believe we are still having this conversation.  
  
LORELAI: We will have this conversation until I'm convinced my daughter is safe from the town rebel.  
  
RORY: For the last time, he's not going do anything to me.  
  
LORELAI: He already has.  
  
RORY: What are you talking about?  
  
LORELAI: How do you not see it?  
  
RORY: See what?  
  
LORELAI: You've been spending so much time with Jess that you don't even see Dean anymore-  
  
RORY: He's the one who didn't want to help.  
  
LORELAI: And you've just been picking fights with me over Jess-  
  
RORY: Because you always play the 'he's a bad influence' card.  
  
LORELAI: He's making you drop your responsibilities-  
  
RORY: I'm in the school play, I'm picking up responsibilities.  
  
LORELAI: You don't help out at the Inn-  
  
RORY: I'm in a play that I have to act in and look good because, let's face it, this is Chilton and they expect nothing but the best.  
  
LORELAI: And he's taking you away from me-  
  
RORY: Well he's.. What?  
  
LORELAI: I'm losing you.  
  
RORY: That's what this is about?  
  
LORELAI: He's taking up all your time and I hardly see you anymore.  
  
RORY: Mom. Jess isn't taking me away from you.  
  
LORELAI: Yes, he is. It's scary. You're growing up, you're distancing yourself from me. Our relationship was too good to be true, it can't last forever. I just.Losing you to Jess of all people.  
  
RORY: Mom, Jess will never take me away from you.  
  
[LORELAI gets up and leaves RORY in the kitchen.]  
  
LORELAI: [whispering to herself] He already has.  
  
LUKE'S DINER  
  
[RORY comes in at dinner with her script ready to practice. JESS takes it away from her when he sees it.]  
  
RORY: Hey!  
  
JESS: No lines tonight. Tonight, is movie night.  
  
RORY: You're kidding?  
  
JESS: Nope.  
  
RORY: What movies?  
  
JESS: Come see.  
  
[JESS takes RORY'S hand and leads her upstairs.]  
  
RORY: [picks up movie cases] Cinderella, Snow White, Alice in Wonderland, 101 Dalmatians, and Beauty and the Beast.  
  
JESS: I know, it's a lot of movies. But since you don't have school tomorrow.  
  
RORY: [nods her head] Junk food?  
  
JESS: [pulls a bag from behind the sofa] Everything you need. Gummies, popcorn, chocolate, suckers, pop, everything.  
  
RORY: [Takes the bag from him and sits down] Let's get started.  
  
JESS: What movie?  
  
RORY: Cinderella.  
  
[JESS pops Cinderella into the VCR before coming to sit beside RORY.]  
  
RORY: Jess?  
  
JESS: Yeah.  
  
RORY: About last night.  
  
JESS: Forget about it?  
  
RORY: Yeah.  
  
JESS: Sure.  
  
[The movie starts and they relax, RORY pigs out on food. Half way through, she finishes eating and rests her head on JESS'S shoulder. JESS wraps an arm around her.]  
  
[Cinderella is done and Snow White is playing. JESS sees RORY is cold and raps her in a blanket.]  
  
[Snow White is over, JESS can see RORY is tired.]  
  
JESS: Last movie. Wanna watch Beauty and the Beast?  
  
RORY: Sure.  
  
[Beauty and the Beast begins. RORY and JESS, at the beginning of the movie, mouth each word. RORY gets very tired part way through and puts her head on JESS'S lap to rest. JESS absent mindly strokes her hair. Both fall asleep on the sofa before the movie is over.]  
  
[LORELAI paces around her house waiting for RORY.]  
  
LORELAI: Where is that girl?  
  
[She finally gives up and goes to LUKE'S. LORELAI beats on the glass and LUKE lets her in.]  
  
LUKE: What?  
  
LORELAI: Where's Rory?  
  
LUKE: Huh?  
  
LORELAI: Where's Rory? I know she's here. I bet that Jess seduced her and has her in his bed right now.  
  
[LORELAI storms upstairs, LUKE runs after her, he catches her before she enters.]  
  
LUKE: Lorelai! They were watching movies and fell asleep.  
  
LORELAI: And you didn't stop them?  
  
LUKE: They were watching movies.  
  
LORELAI: Yeah. Right. Just watching movies? Or making out?  
  
LUKE: What is wrong with you?  
  
LORELAI: Nothing.  
  
LUKE: Lorelai.  
  
LORELAI: Luke.  
  
LUKE: Leave them be.  
  
[LORELAI ignores LUKE'S request and walks in to find RORY sleeping on JESS'S lap.]  
  
LORELAI: Rory! Up! Now!  
  
[Both RORY and JESS slowly wake up.]  
  
RORY: Wha?  
  
LORELAI: Up! We're going home.  
  
RORY: Mom?  
  
LORELAI: Yes, I am your mother and as your mother I am ordering you to come home.  
  
RORY: What? Is this about Jess?  
  
LORELAI: It's always about Jess, isn't it?  
  
RORY: [exasperated] Apparently.  
  
LORELAI: What's that mean?  
  
RORY: We've been over this. You keep brining him up as the bad guy. He's not.  
  
LORELAI: He his. And it's not only that he's stealing you. He's like your father.  
  
RORY: What does Dad have to do with this?  
  
LORELAI: He comes in, sweeps you off your feet and you fall.  
  
RORY: Mom. We're friends.  
  
LORELAI: [disgusted] You're more than that.  
  
RORY: I have Dean.  
  
LORELAI: You never see Dean.  
  
RORY: [fed up and screaming] Mom! I don't want to talk about this now.  
  
[RORY runs out the door. JESS jumps up and follows her. They stop at the bridge.]  
  
JESS: Hey.  
  
RORY: Hi.  
  
JESS: I don't want to get in between you and your Mom.  
  
RORY: You're not.  
  
JESS: Sure.  
  
RORY: [defensively] You're not!  
  
JESS: If you say so.  
  
RORY: We've just been fighting.  
  
JESS: Over me.  
  
RORY: Yes, but it's not your fault.  
  
JESS: [giving up] Whatever.  
  
[RORY plops down on the bridge, JESS sits beside her.]  
  
RORY: It's just. I don't know. Things between Mom and I have been.  
  
JESS: Strained?  
  
RORY: Yeah. We never talk, not like we used to. I spend all my time with you and.. Oh, God, my Mom was right.  
  
JESS: What?  
  
RORY: I have been spending all my time with you. You are taking me away from her! [scared] This.. this was your plan all along. You thought you would come in and throw my life around and take me from my mother, my best friend?  
  
JESS: Rory!  
  
RORY: Jess, no. I've heard enough.  
  
[RORY runs back to her house. She sees LORELAI there waiting on the sofa.]  
  
RORY: Mom, I'm sorry. You were right. Jess is taking me away from you, I didn't realize how much time I was spending with him. From now on, I'll hang with you, hang with Dean-  
  
LORELAI: Rory..  
  
RORY: Hang with Lane.  
  
LORELAI: Stop! It's okay. I thought about it, and if you want to spend time with Jess, I have no right to stop you. Your growing up, it's inevitable. I have to accept the fact that, sooner or later, you will grow up and get a life of your own. If it's with Jess. well, I'm powerless to stop it.  
  
RORY: [sits beside LORELAI] I freaked at Jess.  
  
LORELAI: That's why you all of a sudden decided that you were spending too much time with him?  
  
RORY: I was angry and I said some things I didn't mean. I just.. I want things back the way they were.  
  
LORELAI: They'll never be the way they were.  
  
RORY: But I want it to be the way it was.  
  
LORELAI: [hugs RORY] I know, sweetie. I know.  
  
LUKE'S DINER  
  
[It's morning and RORY has calmed down since last night. She walks into the diner happy and smiling.]  
  
LUKE: You seem happy.  
  
RORY: [smiling] I am.  
  
LUKE: He's upstairs.  
  
RORY: Thanks.  
  
[RORY runs upstairs and knocks on the door. JESS answers.]  
  
JESS: What?  
  
RORY: Can I come in?  
  
JESS: [pauses] Whatever.  
  
[JESS sits on the couch. RORY walks into the apartment and looks around before sitting beside JESS.]  
  
RORY: I'm sorry about last night. I was all crazy after fighting with Mom and I said some things.  
  
JESS: Okay.  
  
RORY: That's it? Okay?  
  
JESS: Yeah. What'd you expect?  
  
RORY: I don't know. Maybe something like.. you're forgiven?  
  
JESS: You said some stuff last night-  
  
RORY: That I didn't mean.  
  
JESS: But you said them.  
  
RORY: So?  
  
JESS: So you must have meant them on some level.  
  
RORY: [reluctantly] I did. But it's not a bad thing. I love spending time with you. And maybe you are taking me away from my Mom, but of all people, I'm glad you're the one doing it.  
  
JESS: Really?  
  
RORY: Yes! My mom and I smoothed things over last night and. we found common ground.  
  
JESS: [smiling] Okay.  
  
RORY: [smiling] Okay. So, we're good?  
  
JESS: We're good.  
  
[RORY and JESS start rehearsing again.]  
  
CHILTON AUDITORIUM  
  
[LUKE, LORELAI, JESS, DEAN, EMILY, RICHARD, SOOKIE and JACKSON are front and center watching RORY in the play. After the play is done, they all meet up to chat.]  
  
RORY: [rocking on her feet] So. How was it?  
  
LORELAI: [squealing and hugging RORY] You were perfect.  
  
LUKE: It was. nice.  
  
EMILY: Splendid, you were magnificent out there, Rory!  
  
RICHARD: Excellent.  
  
SOOKIE: Oh, honey. You were so beautiful in that dress. And I loved the part were the they were singing about the food.  
  
JACKSON: Sookie- it was fake food. Rory- good job.  
  
DEAN: [kisses her on the cheek] Best play I've ever seen.  
  
RORY: [grinning] Oh, thank you so much! I'm really glad you liked it.  
  
LORELAI: Liked it? Honey, we loved it!  
  
[RORY sees JESS over in a corner avoiding the crowds.]  
  
RORY: I'll, uh.. I'll be right back.  
  
[RORY takes JESS'S hand and pulls him outside. DEAN watches with a scowl on his face.]  
  
RORY: What did you think?  
  
JESS: You got critical acclaim in there.  
  
RORY: They'll humour me. I want to know what you thought.  
  
JESS: [casual] It was fine.  
  
RORY: Just fine?  
  
JESS: [sighing] It was great.  
  
RORY: And you're not just saying that?  
  
JESS: No. I mean it. It was great.  
  
RORY: Thanks for all your help.  
  
JESS: It's no big deal.  
  
RORY: Yes it was.. You went out of your way to help me prepare for this. Thank you.  
  
JESS: Really, it was nothing.  
  
RORY: If there's any way I can repay you.. any way at all.  
  
[JESS looks nervous, his eyes dart from RORY to the ground. In one swift motion his lips are on hers. RORY wants to pull back but doesn't and puts her hands on his back. She slowly pulls away, their faces still inches apart.]  
  
JESS: I'm sorry.  
  
RORY: Don't be.  
  
JESS: I am.  
  
RORY: I'm not.  
  
JESS: You have a boyfriend.  
  
[RORY thinks for a second before pulling away.]  
  
RORY: I'm going now. I have to go break up with Dean. I expect he'll be running out these doors in a hurry and I suggest you hide before he hurts you.  
  
JESS: I'll be okay.  
  
RORY: Don't say I didn't warn you.  
  
[RORY slowly goes back inside to talk to DEAN. She finds him and pulls him off to the side.]  
  
RORY: Dean, we need to talk.  
  
DEAN: I'm listening.  
  
RORY: We're not.. uh.. We're not working out.  
  
DEAN: You're breaking up with me.  
  
RORY: I'm sorry, but-  
  
DEAN: You have feelings for Jess.  
  
RORY: Not what I was going to say, but yes, I do.  
  
DEAN: Fine.  
  
RORY: Fine?  
  
DEAN: Yeah. But don't come crying to me when he breaks your heart, gets you pregnant, or holds a gun to your head.  
  
RORY: Don't worry.  
  
DEAN: I won't.  
  
[DEAN storms off. LORELAI heard the whole conversation and comes over to comfort RORY.]  
  
LORELAI: You okay, honey?  
  
RORY: Yeah.  
  
LORELAI: You and Jess?  
  
RORY: Me and Jess.  
  
LORELAI: [hugs RORY] I'm happy for you.  
  
RORY: Thanks.  
  
LATER-ON THE BRIDGE  
  
JESS: You broke up with Dean.  
  
RORY: I did.  
  
JESS: Regrets?  
  
RORY: That I didn't do it sooner.  
  
JESS: I see.  
  
[Silence.]  
  
RORY: What are we?  
  
JESS: Philosophical or literal?  
  
RORY: Neither. You and me, what is our relationship?  
  
JESS: I was hoping for something more than friends.  
  
RORY: Like girlfriend and boyfriend?  
  
JESS: In order to receive that status, I believe we have to go on a few dates first.  
  
RORY: Do you want-  
  
JESS: You busy Friday?  
  
RORY: Yes.  
  
JESS: Right, sorry. Saturday?  
  
RORY: No.  
  
JESS: Good, pick you up at seven?  
  
RORY: Sounds good.  
  
JESS: We are well on our way to becoming boyfriend and girlfriend.  
  
RORY: [leans on JESS'S shoulder] I like how that sounds.  
  
[JESS puts his arm around her and rests his head on hers. Both are smiling and perfectly content.]  
  
[END] 


	2. Attack Of The Moms

GILMORE DAYS  
  
Title: Attack of the Moms  
  
Author: mocha-queen  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me. All of it belongs to those whose names appear on screen.  
  
Spoilers: General season 2 and parts of season 3. I just took a few things because I accidentally incorporated them later. Takes place in season 3  
  
Summary: Rory and Jess date, Lorelai tries to accept them as a couple, Jess's mom calls creating trouble between everyone.  
  
------  
  
FANCY RESTAURANT  
  
[JESS and RORY are sitting at a table for two in a dimly lit Italian restaurant. Plates of spaghetti are in front of them.]  
  
RORY: Our first date.  
  
JESS: [smirking] Didn't notice.  
  
RORY: [rolls her eyes] Eat.  
  
JESS: What does your mom think?  
  
RORY: Since when did it matter to you what anyone thought?  
  
JESS: It doesn't. Just you and your mom are a 'package deal' as you say. She already hates me, I was just asking.  
  
RORY: She's actually fine with it.  
  
JESS: [gives her a questioning look] Sure.  
  
RORY: [worried] She said she was.  
  
JESS: Hey, don't worry about it. If she really doesn't want you hanging around me, I'm sure I'd be hanging from my neck in the town square at the moment.  
  
RORY: True. [pause] But thanks to you, I'm not sure she's completely happy, anymore.  
  
JESS: Well, did you expect her to be?  
  
RORY: Actually, no. Not yet, at least. Give her some time to adjust to us.  
  
JESS: Until then I'll feel the wrath of Lorelai, huh?  
  
RORY: [grinning] Just you wait till the rest of the town finds out.  
  
[JESS bangs his head, softly, on the table a few times. RORY watches amused.]  
  
GILMORE DRIVEWAY  
  
[JESS and RORY are standing on the porch.]  
  
RORY: I had a nice time tonight.  
  
JESS: Did you not expect to?  
  
RORY: [flustered] No! No, I was just saying-  
  
JESS: [smirking] Calm down.  
  
RORY: [sighing in relief] Yeah. Sure.  
  
JESS: [nods] Goodnight.  
  
RORY: Goodnight.  
  
[JESS gives RORY a quick kiss on the lips before walking away. RORY smiles and enters the house in a dreamy state. LORELAI is sitting on the sofa going over some papers. RORY sits on the chair across from LORELAI.]  
  
LORELAI: Have a good night?  
  
RORY: [smiling] I did.  
  
LORELAI: [frustrated, flips through papers] Good.  
  
RORY: Mom, are you okay with me and Jess?  
  
LORELAI: [looking at the papers] Yes. I already told you. I'm fine with it.  
  
RORY: You don't seem fine.  
  
[LORELAI slams the papers on the table and stands up. LORELAI snaps.]  
  
LORELAI: I'm fine! Okay? I said I was fine, and that means I'm fine. You and Jess want to date? Go ahead, be my guest!  
  
[LORELAI storms up the stairs, RORY slowly goes to her room and collapses on the bed. She picks up the cordless phone and dials. JESS answers.]  
  
JESS: Hey.  
  
RORY: Hi. Mom's not as okay as I thought.  
  
JESS: [mocking] Really?  
  
RORY: I thought she really might have been okay. But I asked, and she freaked out at me.  
  
JESS: You said so yourself. Give her some time.  
  
RORY: [grumpy] How much? Because I don't want to not be with you because of my mother.  
  
JESS: [sighs] Rory, I don't know.  
  
RORY: Sorry, I must be really annoying. I'll go now.  
  
JESS: Okay.  
  
RORY: [hurt] You really want me to go?  
  
JESS: If you go, I was hoping you'd go to Luke's.  
  
RORY: [smiling] I better go, then.  
  
JESS: You'd better. [joking] It's almost my bedtime.  
  
RORY: I'll tuck you in.  
  
JESS: Or you could come to bed with me.  
  
RORY: [rolls eyes] Bye.  
  
JESS: See ya.  
  
[RORY hangs up the phone, grabs a coat and yells up the stairs.]  
  
RORY: MOM! I'm going out!  
  
[LORELAI comes down to talk to RORY.]  
  
LORELAI: Where?  
  
RORY: Luke's.  
  
LORELAI: [worried] To see Jess?  
  
RORY: Jess works at Luke's, Jess lives at Luke's. There's a good chance I'll bump into Jess.  
  
LORELAI: I change my mind, I'm not okay with you and Jess. I'm trying, but I'm not.  
  
RORY: No kidding.  
  
LORELAI: I really am trying.  
  
RORY: [annoyed] Not very hard.  
  
LORELAI: Really hard. Believe me. I trust you Rory, but I don't trust him. [pause] I'm trying.  
  
RORY: If you were trying that hard, we wouldn't be having this conversation right now.  
  
[RORY is angry, and storms out the door with out a good bye.]  
  
LUKE'S DINER  
  
[RORY storms through the door at LUKE'S. LUKE and JESS are the only ones there.]  
  
LUKE: You okay?  
  
[RORY sits at a table, JESS joins her.]  
  
RORY: No.  
  
[LUKE leaves, seeing that JESS can handle this.]  
  
JESS: What's up?  
  
RORY: Mom is freaking out again.  
  
JESS: We just went over this.  
  
RORY: I know. Time. She says she trusts me, but she obviously doesn't.  
  
JESS: I take a little getting used to.  
  
RORY: Yeah, but she just won't accept us.  
  
JESS: I did steal a beer from the fridge during our first encounter. I think I made a lasting first impression.  
  
RORY: Yes, bad idea, by the way. But she's usually so cool.  
  
JESS: She may be the 'cool mom' but she's still a mom and since you're close, she worries.  
  
RORY: Did your mom worry?  
  
JESS: [bitterly] Yeah. She worried that I would hold her drunken life back.  
  
RORY: Sorry, I didn't mean to bring it up. I just.. You never talk about your family, and here I am whining about my Mom all the time.  
  
JESS: [upset] I don't talk about my family because I don't want to. We're not like you. We don't do the whole family thing. My dad left when I was 10, and my alcoholic mom sent me to the middle of nowhere.  
  
RORY: Again, sorry. We don't have to talk about this.  
  
JESS: Good.  
  
RORY: [smiling] Hemingway sucks.  
  
JESS: [letting out a small smile] He does not. Ayn Rand's a nut.  
  
[RORY pretends to take offence and hits him lightly on the arm. JESS pretends to be hurt and 'fights' back. This ends up in RORY and JESS kissing. MISS PATTY looks through the window and sees RORY and JESS kissing and runs off to tell the rest of the town. KIRK is walking down the street.]  
  
MISS PATTY: Kirk! Rory and Jess are a couple!  
  
KIRK: Do you want me to print this in the newspaper or is this a word of mouth thing?  
  
MISS PATTY: Go, tell everyone you see.  
  
KRIK: How long do you imagine it will take for the whole town to know?  
  
MISS PATTY: Give it a half hour, darling. Now scoot.  
  
KIRK: Yes, ma'am!  
  
GILMORE DRIVEWAY  
  
[LORELAI is getting in the jeep to go to work. BABETTE runs out of her house to talk to LORELAI.]  
  
BABETTE: Did ya hear? Rory and Jess were making out in the diner.  
  
LORELAI: [not at all surprised] Really?  
  
BABETTE: Miss Patty saw them through the window.  
  
LORELAI: [tapping her fingers on the steering wheel, trying to remain calm] Interesting.  
  
BABETTE: Watch out for him, Lorelai. Boys like him are nothing but trouble.  
  
LORELAI: I'll keep that in mind.  
  
BABETTE: What do you think about the two together?  
  
LORELAI: I don't know, Babette. I want to be happy for Rory but I just really don't like Jess. He kinda reminds me of me at that age, ya know? And I don't want Rory hanging around a 17 year old me.  
  
BABETTE: I understand completely, honey.  
  
LORELAI: Hon, I really gotta go to work.  
  
BABETTE: Oh, I'm sorry, darling. I just thought you might want to know.  
  
LORELAI: Of course, thanks.  
  
BABETTE: Bye!  
  
LORELAI: Bye!  
  
[LORELAI hits her head on the steering wheel a few times before driving off.]  
  
INDEPENDENCE INN  
  
MICHEL: [annoyed] You are late.  
  
LORELAI: [clearly not sorry] Sorry, I'll try to be early next time.  
  
MICHEL: Being on time would be nice.  
  
LORELAI: Again, I'm sorry. Babette caught me on the way out.  
  
MICHEL: I don't care for your petty excuses. You were late. You should try being here on time.  
  
LORELAI: Okay, Michel. Let's remember that I'm *your* boss. Okay?  
  
MICHEL: Unfortunately.  
  
LORELAI: Go, be productive.  
  
[MICHEL walks off and LORELAI goes to the kitchen to find SOOKIE. SOOKIE is running around ordering people to help her finish today's meal. SOOKIE sees that something is wrong with LORELAI and pours her a cup of coffee.]  
  
SOOKIE: What's up, hon?  
  
LORELAI: They found out about Rory and Jess.  
  
SOOKIE: Ooh, that sucks. How?  
  
LORELAI: Miss Patty saw them kissing in the diner.  
  
SOOKIE: It'll be all over town with in the hour.  
  
LORELAI: Exactly.  
  
SOOKIE: It'll be fine, honey. Jess is good for Rory, you'll see.  
  
LORELAI: Since when did you start the Jess fan club?  
  
SOOKIE: I didn't. I've seen them together, Jess is different around her.  
  
LORELAI: I think you've had a little too much to drink.  
  
SOOKIE: Did you not see them during the play?  
  
LORELAI: It was hard to miss.  
  
SOOKIE: He likes her. A lot.  
  
LORELAI: Why? Why like Rory when he could have anyone else?  
  
SOOKIE: Why not? She's the only one in the town to seems to understand him. Even after they got in that car accident, she was never mad at him.  
  
LORELAI: She should have been. He broke her. Her car.  
  
SOOKIE: She likes him, too. A lot.  
  
LORELAI: Again, why?  
  
SOOKIE: Lorelai, you have to face that they like each other, and nothing that you or anyone else can say will change that.  
  
LORELAI: I hate when you're right.  
  
SOOKIE: I know.  
  
LUKE'S  
  
[Phone rings. LUKE answers it. The diner is deserted.]  
  
LUKE: Hello.  
  
LIZ: Luke.  
  
LUKE: Liz.  
  
LIZ: How's Jess?  
  
LUKE: He's Jess. [pause] He's doing fine.  
  
LIZ: Good.  
  
LUKE: Yeah.  
  
LIZ: You've done a good job with him.  
  
LUKE: Thanks.  
  
LIZ: I want him back.  
  
LUKE: No you don't.  
  
LIZ: I do. I've been getting better. I miss him.  
  
LUKE: I'm not sure, Liz. He's doing real good here. He's got a girlfriend and all.  
  
LIZ: He got him a girl?  
  
LUKE: She's good for him.  
  
LIZ: Don't let him screw her up.  
  
LUKE: The town won't let him screw her up.  
  
LIZ: Good. [pause] I still want him back.  
  
LUKE: No. Bye Liz.  
  
LIZ: I wanna talk to Jess.  
  
LUKE: I doubt he wants to talk to you.  
  
LIZ: Let me talk to him.  
  
LUKE: [sigh] He's out.  
  
LIZ: Have him call me back.  
  
LUKE: I can't guarantee anything.  
  
LIZ: Try.  
  
LUKE: Always.  
  
LIZ: Bye, Luke.  
  
LUKE: Yeah.  
  
[LUKE hangs up the phone.]  
  
LUKE: Caesar!  
  
CAESAR: Yeah?  
  
LUKE: Watch the Diner. I'm going up stairs for a sec.  
  
CAESAR: Yeah.  
  
[LUKE goes upstairs. JESS is sitting on his bed reading and blasting his headphones. LUKE pounds on the wall to get his attention. JESS looks up and turns off the music and puts the book down.]  
  
JESS: [annoyed] You got a reason for interrupting me?  
  
LUKE: Nah, this is what I do for fun. What do you think?  
  
JESS: I wouldn't put it past you, nothing else to do in this damn town.  
  
LUKE: Whatever.  
  
[LUKE sits on a chair in the corner.]  
  
LUKE: Liz called.  
  
JESS: Okay.  
  
LUKE: She wants you back.  
  
JESS: Fine.  
  
LUKE: Fine? Fine what?  
  
JESS: Fine, she wants me back. Doesn't mean I gotta go. She's the one who sent me here, anyway.  
  
LUKE: Yeah.  
  
JESS: I could go, though. If you want me out.  
  
LUKE: I told her I wanted you to stay.  
  
JESS: [surprised] Really?  
  
LUKE: Yeah, you've grown on me. And since you've been back from New York. You've cleaned up your act. [pause] Besides, you'd miss Rory, Rory'd miss you. Then you got that vicious cycle thing going.  
  
JESS: That's a bitch.  
  
LUKE: You wanna stay?  
  
JESS: Don't wanna go.  
  
LUKE: Good enough. [pause] Liz wants you to call her back.  
  
JESS: Okay.  
  
LUKE: You should call her.. tell her you're not going.  
  
JESS: She'll figure it out when I'm not in New York.  
  
LUKE: She misses you.  
  
JESS: She's the one who sent me here, she doesn't get to be the one to miss me.  
  
LUKE: She's trying.  
  
JESS: [angry] I was trying. God, do you think I asked to be sent here? She didn't give me a choice. I was trying to stay alive back in New York, she didn't give a damn about me then, now all of a sudden, she wants me back? No. That's not how it works.  
  
LUKE: Give her a chance.  
  
JESS: You give her a chance. Just wait till she lets you down.  
  
[LUKE gets up and leaves. He stops at the door way.]  
  
LUKE: You stayin'?  
  
JESS: I'm stayin'.  
  
[LUKE exits the room, JESS puts his music back on and holds up his book. He's clearly not reading.]  
  
LATER  
  
[LUKE is back in the Diner. RORY walks in.]  
  
RORY: Hey, Luke.  
  
LUKE: Hi, Rory.  
  
RORY: Is-  
  
LUKE: Go. He's upstairs.  
  
RORY: Thanks!  
  
[RORY goes to the stairs, LUKE stops her just before she goes up.]  
  
LUKE: Rory?  
  
RORY: Yeah?  
  
LUKE: Liz called, we talked, now he's in a bad mood. Just be careful, okay? Don't let him be an ass to you.  
  
RORY: Thanks.  
  
[RORY goes upstairs and finds JESS in his room reading.]  
  
RORY: Hey.  
  
JESS: Hey.  
  
[JESS sits up and motions for RORY to sit next to him.]  
  
RORY: So.  
  
JESS: So..  
  
RORY: Anything interesting happen in the last few hours?  
  
JESS: Luke told you?  
  
RORY: Not much. Said you were in a bad mood.  
  
JESS: I'm fine.  
  
RORY: Didn't say you weren't.  
  
JESS: Good.  
  
[Silence.]  
  
RORY: So. Your mom?  
  
JESS: [warning] Don't.  
  
RORY: You have to talk, Jess.  
  
JESS: No, you have to talk. In New York, you're better off keeping your mouth closed.  
  
RORY: You're not in New York anymore.  
  
JESS: I could be.  
  
RORY: You're not.  
  
JESS: Liz wants me back.  
  
RORY: Now?  
  
JESS: Nah, in 10 years.  
  
RORY: Sorry. You going?  
  
JESS: [shakes his head] No.  
  
RORY: Good. Do you want to?  
  
JESS: I thought we went over the fact that I'm not going to talk about this.  
  
RORY: We did. I ignored it.  
  
JESS: Don't ignore it, Rory. I don't want to talk.  
  
RORY: You obviously need to.  
  
JESS: So, what if I do? I'm not going to talk to you about it.  
  
RORY: Why- Why not?  
  
JESS: Because you shouldn't have to hear it. My past is my past. And my issues with my mother are my problems, not yours. I don't want to suck you into the shit that I've done.  
  
RORY: It doesn't matter. You can still talk to me.  
  
JESS: No, Rory, I can't.  
  
RORY: Fine, maybe I didn't know you as well as I thought I did. I thought that maybe you'd trust me enough to tell me. I don't know.. something. I guess not.  
  
[RORY turns on her heel and runs out of the diner.]  
  
JESS: RORY!  
  
[RORY runs into the gazebo. DEAN is walking past and sees RORY crying. He walks over and sits awkwardly beside her to try and comfort her.]  
  
DEAN: What's wrong?  
  
RORY: Nothing. [pause] Just Jess, he-  
  
DEAN: [annoyed] I told you not to come crying to me when he hurt you.  
  
RORY: [defensive] I didn't come crying to you. And he didn't hurt me... He's just not talking to me.  
  
DEAN: [unsure] Okay. As long as he didn't hurt you.  
  
RORY: He didn't. He wouldn't.  
  
DEAN: If that's what you want to think.  
  
RORY: It's not what I want to think, it's what's true. You just want to think he's bad.  
  
DEAN: It's not like he's proved otherwise.  
  
RORY: [raising her voice] Who says he hasn't tried and you're too closed minded to give him a second chance?  
  
DEAN: Maybe he doesn't deserve one.  
  
RORY: [offended] What?  
  
DEAN: He got you in a car accident. He broke your wrist.  
  
RORY: Tiny fracture. And I let him drive, I gave him the keys, I told him to keep driving.  
  
DEAN: He comes back here and acts like it never happened.  
  
RORY: We had our closure.  
  
DEAN: What?  
  
RORY: I didn't go to my Mom's graduation because I was stuck on a bus from New York after visiting Jess. We talked. We hung out on the streets of New York City.  
  
DEAN: You went to New York?  
  
RORY: [sad] I missed my Mom's graduation.  
  
DEAN: [remembering] That was on a weekday. You skipped school to go see Jess?  
  
RORY: I did.  
  
DEAN: That isn't like you at all.  
  
RORY: Why does matter to you, now, anyway?  
  
DEAN: Rory, I still care about you, maybe still be in love with you. I don't want to see Jess hurt you.  
  
RORY: He won't.  
  
DEAN: And there you go again, defending him.  
  
RORY: [annoyed] No one else is.  
  
DEAN: There's a reason for that.  
  
RORY: There's a reason for me defending him.  
  
DEAN: Fine.  
  
RORY: Fine?  
  
DEAN: Yes, fine. Do whatever you want, but don't come crying to me when he hurts you.  
  
RORY: We've been over this, don't worry.  
  
DEAN: I haven't, I won't.  
  
RORY: Good.  
  
DEAN: Good.  
  
[Silence]  
  
RORY: I wanted to be friends.  
  
DEAN: So did I, but as long as you're with Jess, I'm not sure I can handle that.  
  
RORY: Understood.  
  
DEAN: I have to go.  
  
RORY: Go.  
  
DEAN: You sure you're okay?  
  
RORY: Yeah. Jess and I had a little fight over something that seems really stupid now.  
  
DEAN: Good. Go, make up with him.  
  
RORY: I will. [pause] Thank you.  
  
DEAN: Sure.  
  
[DEAN walks away and RORY walks back into LUKE'S. LUKE sees RORY'S tear stained face and is immediately worried.]  
  
LUKE: Okay.. Which one of those punks hurt you?  
  
RORY: Neither, really. Jess didn't want to talk, I got mad. Dean was just out there.  
  
LUKE: So, you're okay?  
  
RORY: Yeah. [pause] I want to talk to Jess.  
  
LUKE: He went out. Didn't say where, not like he ever does.  
  
RORY: [determined] I'll find him.  
  
[LUKE nods as RORY leaves.]  
  
BRIDGE  
  
[JESS is sitting on the bridge and RORY sits beside him. She holds his hand.]  
  
RORY: I'm sorry.  
  
JESS: Don't be. I shouldn't have gotten angry.  
  
RORY: I don't understand you, and I shouldn't pretend to. You have this whole other life, which is apparently not pleasant. And if you don't want to share it with me, that's your decision and I have no right trying to tell you otherwise.  
  
JESS: I still shouldn't have gotten so angry.  
  
RORY: Don't worry about it.  
  
JESS: It's just.. Liz gets me so mad sometimes.  
  
RORY: It's okay. You don't have to talk.  
  
JESS: I know. [pause] She just.. she ships me here for no real reason. And now, she wants me back. I don't know she wants from me.  
  
RORY: You thinking about going back?  
  
JESS: [faces her] No. Never. I just.. I'm kinda curious why she wants me back. Luke says she's trying to get back on track.  
  
RORY: Maybe she is.  
  
JESS: I can't even count the number of times she's said that she's trying to get it together. Every time she says it, she just digs her self a deeper grave.  
  
RORY: So, she isn't the perfect mother.  
  
JESS: [scoffs] Not even close.  
  
RORY: Just talk to her.. call her. See what she wants. Why she wants you back. Maybe this time it'll be different.  
  
[Silence.]  
  
JESS: I'm sorry.  
  
RORY: Don't be.  
  
JESS: I should have said it earlier.  
  
RORY: It's okay.  
  
JESS: It's the whole New York street thing.  
  
RORY: I won't even pretend to understand.  
  
JESS: New York is different.  
  
RORY: From Stars Hollow, no kidding.  
  
JESS: The people aren't friendly. I didn't have my family watching my back.  
  
RORY: You really don't have to.  
  
JESS: Me and my friends were on our own. We had to get what we needed ourselves. Our parents weren't the most reliable people. We grew up way too fast. 'I'm sorry' is just a regret thing. We didn't have time to regret, what's done is done. No amount of apologizing would change that. You just gotta move on.  
  
RORY: Then move on.  
  
JESS: It's not that easy.  
  
RORY: No, but I can help. Jess, I'm gonna be here for you. All that crap from New York is your past. You said it, what's done is done.  
  
JESS: It sticks with you, Rory, and I don't expect you to understand that.  
  
RORY: I'm gonna try. I want to be there for you and I'm going to help you through anything, no matter what you say.  
  
JESS: [smiling] Thanks.  
  
[RORY pulls him into a hug, then rests her head on his shoulder, JESS'S arm is draped across her shoulders.]  
  
RORY: This is our first fight as a couple.  
  
JESS: I think it's our first real fight ever.  
  
RORY: We've fought.  
  
JESS: Not like this. Usually it's fun.  
  
RORY: This wasn't fun.  
  
JESS: No.  
  
RORY: Tears were involved.  
  
JESS: Tears?  
  
RORY: Yeah.  
  
JESS: I'm really sorry.  
  
RORY: Stop.  
  
JESS: Okay. [pause] First real fight.  
  
RORY: We should commemorate the occasion.  
  
JESS: Commemorative coins?  
  
RORY: Nah, t-shirts?  
  
JESS: Coffee mugs?  
  
RORY: Coffee... Ooh! Make up coffee! Now there's an idea. Every time we get in a fight, you give me make up coffee.  
  
JESS: And how would this make up coffee be any different than normal coffee?  
  
RORY: It'll be in the special commemorative coffee mug.  
  
JESS: You'll be wearing the commemorative t-shirt, and I'll have the commemorative coins stuffed in my pocket.  
  
RORY: [smug] We're good.  
  
JESS: [smiling] We are.  
  
[They kiss.]  
  
GILMORE HOUSE  
  
[RORY walks in the front door.]  
  
RORY: Mom, I'm home.  
  
[LORELAI comes down the stairs and they both sit on the couch.]  
  
LORELAI: Hey, hon.  
  
RORY: How was your day?  
  
LORELAI: Insightful.  
  
RORY: Really?  
  
LORELAI: Really, really. Yours?  
  
RORY: [sigh] Crazy.  
  
LORELAI: Uh oh. What happened?  
  
RORY: Jess's mom called.  
  
LORELAI: Ug, not good.  
  
RORY: No. [pause] She wants him to move back.  
  
LORELAI: And.  
  
RORY: He's not.  
  
LORELAI: And.  
  
RORY: We got in a fight.  
  
LORELAI: First fight as couple?  
  
RORY: First real fight between us, ever.  
  
LORELAI: You should mark it down.  
  
RORY: We already have commemorative mugs, t-shirts, and coins, with special make up coffee.  
  
LORELAI: [fascinated] You get make up coffee?  
  
RORY: It's fun being the diner boy's girl.  
  
LORELAI: [gasp] I need me a diner man!  
  
RORY: Hey, there's a perfectly good one in Stars Hollow.  
  
LORELAI: [rolls her eyes] Not going there.  
  
RORY: [giving in] Fine.  
  
[Silence.]  
  
LORELAI: So, you and Jess are good now?  
  
RORY: [smiling] We are.  
  
LORELAI: [hopeful] Are we good now?  
  
RORY: [sceptical] I don't know. Are we?  
  
LORELAI: I'm okay with you and Jess.  
  
RORY: [raises an eyebrow] You suck at lying.  
  
LORELAI: Fine, I'm not totally okay. But I'm getting there, I really am. I had this good talk with Sookie, and I really am getting there.  
  
RORY: [hopeful] Really?  
  
LORELAI: Yes. I soo want to be happy for you because you being happy makes me happy.  
  
RORY: [nods] It does.  
  
LORELAI: I live vicariously through my daughter's love life.  
  
RORY: Sad.  
  
LORELAI: Very.  
  
RORY: Extremely.  
  
LORELAI: I really want to be okay with this.  
  
RORY: I know.  
  
LORELAI: [sigh] He made a bad first impression.  
  
RORY: He knows.  
  
LORELAI: He can't be all bad if you like him.  
  
RORY: He's not bad.  
  
LORELAI: Do I have to-No. Never mind. I'm not going to be my mother.  
  
RORY: Good.  
  
[Pause.]  
  
LORELAI: He's gotta try too.  
  
RORY: He will, I promise.  
  
LORELAI: He better, or else I get permission to hate him, again.  
  
RORY: Permission granted if he does something stupid.  
  
[Pause.]  
  
LORELAI: Are we good?  
  
RORY: Yeah, we're good.  
  
LORELAI: No more fighting over Jess?  
  
RORY: Never.  
  
LORELAI: Good.  
  
RORY: But remember, I was never the one who started it.  
  
LORELAI: Okay, what have I told you about stopping while you're ahead?  
  
RORY: To stop while you're ahead.  
  
LORELAI: I taught you well. New subject?  
  
RORY: Definitely.  
  
LORELAI: [smirking] Is he a good kisser?  
  
RORY: Mom!  
  
LORELAI: Seriously. All the bad boys are good kissers. [dreaming] Christopher was.  
  
RORY: Ew! Mom, too much information.  
  
LORELAI: Not for me. I want to know all the juicy details.  
  
RORY: [disgusted] You're my mother.  
  
LORELAI: And your mother is demanding to know if Jess is a good kisser.  
  
RORY: That's mature. Playing the 'mom card' to find out if your daughter's boyfriend is a good kisser.  
  
LORELAI: Is he?  
  
RORY: [blushes] The best.  
  
LUKE AND JESS'S APARTMENT  
  
[JESS and LUKE are at the table eating.]  
  
LUKE: Call Liz.  
  
JESS: No.  
  
LUKE: Fine.  
  
[Silence.]  
  
LUKE: Let's talk.  
  
JESS: I don't want to.  
  
LUKE: Not about Liz. About Rory.  
  
JESS: [annoyed] My personal life is none of your business.  
  
LUKE: [loudly] Your personal life is my business. Normally, I just don't care, but you're with Rory now.  
  
JESS: [shrugs] It's still none of your business.  
  
LUKE: [calm] Jess, you don't get it. I've watched her grow up, and I feel that. since I've helped her out, I should watch her back.  
  
JESS: Fine.  
  
LUKE: Don't hurt her.  
  
JESS: I won't.  
  
LUKE: She was crying, for god sake.  
  
JESS: [shrug] It's fixed.  
  
LUKE: You don't get it. You can't just 'fix' a relationship.  
  
JESS: We talked. We're fine.  
  
LUKE: Seriously? She's not at home crying to Lorelai about how you hurt her?  
  
JESS: You could call and check, but I'm thinking no.  
  
LUKE: So, you two are okay now?  
  
JESS: Yeah.  
  
LUKE: Good. Back to not hurting Rory.  
  
JESS: What?  
  
LUKE: [uncomfortable] Don't... you know.  
  
JESS: [mock stupidity] No. I don't.  
  
LUKE: [more uncomfortable] Don't. do stuff.  
  
JESS: Luke.  
  
LUKE: [really uncomfortable] Don't force Rory into something she's not ready for..  
  
JESS: [having fun] Like?  
  
LUKE: Jess, you know what I'm talking about.  
  
JESS: No, I really don't.  
  
LUKE: [embarrassed] Sex. There, ya happy? I said it. Don't force Rory into sex. Hell, don't have sex with her at all.  
  
JESS: We're not.  
  
LUKE: But you might.  
  
JESS: Not now.  
  
LUKE: But later?  
  
JESS: Do you really want to know?  
  
LUKE: No. Just.. when ya do. use. protection.  
  
JESS: I'm not an idiot.  
  
LUKE: I didn't say you were.  
  
JESS: I'm not one for going around and getting girls knocked up.  
  
LUKE: Good to know.  
  
JESS: I don't want a kid.  
  
LUKE: Good.  
  
[They finish eating in silence.]  
  
LUKE'S  
  
[LORELAI enters and sits down at the bar and drops her head on the table.]  
  
LUKE: Bad day.  
  
LORELAI: Long day. Glad it's over.  
  
LUKE: Yeah.  
  
LORELAI: So.  
  
LUKE: Want anything to eat?  
  
LORELAI: Coffee.  
  
LUKE: I said eat.  
  
LORELAI: [hopeful] I could eat the beans!  
  
[LUKE pours a cup and puts it in front of LORELAI.]  
  
LUKE: Now that's just disgusting.  
  
[LORELAI just shrugs and drinks the coffee.]  
  
LUKE: You okay?  
  
LORELAI: [nods] What do you think of the whole Rory, Jess thing?  
  
LUKE: I think it's good.  
  
LORELAI: Really?  
  
LUKE: Yeah, she's good for him.  
  
LORELAI: What about her. Is he good for her?  
  
LUKE: We'll see.  
  
LORELAI: [sigh] Not the answer I was looking for.  
  
LUKE: Yeah, well.  
  
LORELAI: I wish I could watch them all the time, you know? Make sure he doesn't try anything.  
  
LUKE: Isn't that illegal?  
  
LORELAI: Even when it's your offspring?  
  
LUKE: Stalking, usually illegal. [pause] Look, don't worry about it. When they're here, I'm here. When they're at your place, you're there. And when they're anywhere else they have the rest of Stars Hollow to watch them.  
  
LORELAI: 'Cept when they use the kid code.  
  
LUKE: [curious] Kid code?  
  
LORELAI: Yeah. They say something like 'hey, gonna get a book,' but it really means 'I'm gonna meet him at some secret place.'  
  
LUKE: They don't do that.  
  
LORELAI: You never did that?  
  
LUKE: You did?  
  
LORELAI: Did it all the time.  
  
[JESS walks down the stairs.]  
  
JESS: I'm gonna go pick up a book.  
  
[JESS leaves.]  
  
LUKE: Oh my god! He just used the kid code!  
  
[LORELAI shrugs and gives him an amused look.]  
  
LATER-LUKE'S APARTMENT  
  
[The phone rings, JESS answers.]  
  
JESS: What?  
  
LIZ: Jess.  
  
JESS: I don't want to talk.  
  
LIZ: Then listen.  
  
JESS: I don't want to hear what you have to say to me.  
  
LIZ: I want you back.  
  
JESS: So I've heard.  
  
LIZ: I hear you're doing really good over there.  
  
JESS: Yup.  
  
LIZ: I hear you got a girlfriend.  
  
JESS: Yup.  
  
LIZ: Don't screw her up.  
  
JESS: This is the kind of encouraging words from my mother that wants me to move back with her?  
  
LIZ: Sorry.  
  
JESS: Whatever.  
  
LIZ: Just... be careful.  
  
JESS: Luke took care of that talk.  
  
LIZ: Good.  
  
JESS: Want anything else?  
  
LIZ: I've been trying to sober up and everything.  
  
JESS: [sarcastically] Congratulations.  
  
LIZ: I really want you back.  
  
JESS: I'm fine where I am.  
  
LIZ: Are you?  
  
JESS: Yeah. You sent me here in the first place. I'm assuming that you at least hoped that I'd adjust a little, but even that may be a stretch. I dealt and I'm fine where I am.  
  
LIZ: Are you happy?  
  
JESS: More so then when I was with you.  
  
LIZ: Jess, cut the crap. Are you happy?  
  
JESS: Yes.  
  
LIZ: Fine. [pause] You sure you want to stay?  
  
JESS: Yeah, I am.  
  
LIZ: And Luke's okay with that. You're not in his space or anything?  
  
JESS: He said he told you he wanted me to stay.  
  
LIZ: He did, I was just checking.  
  
JESS: He's cool.  
  
LIZ: I'm in some programs. to help me stay sober and off the drugs.. even got those nicotine patch things going.  
  
JESS: Good.  
  
LIZ: Maybe once I'm better, I could come visit?  
  
JESS: Maybe..  
  
[Pause.]  
  
LIZ: I'm glad you're happy.  
  
JESS: Good.  
  
LIZ: I'll talk to you later?  
  
JESS: Whatever.  
  
LIZ: I miss you.  
  
JESS: That's nice.  
  
LIZ: Bye.  
  
[JESS hangs up, grabs a coat and leaves.]  
  
GILMORE HOME  
  
[GILMORES are sitting on the couch watching TV. LORELAI has the remote and is flicking through the channels.]  
  
LORELAI: There's nothing on.  
  
RORY: You say that all the time, yet you still watch TV.  
  
LORELAI: But this time, there isn't even anything worth my interest.  
  
RORY: Then turn it off.  
  
LORELAI: I can't.  
  
RORY: [sighing] Movie night?  
  
LORELAI: [enthusiastic] You bet!  
  
RORY: Let's go.  
  
[GILMORES get off the couch, take their jackets and run out the door to the Jeep.]  
  
STREETS OF STARS HOLLOW  
  
LORELAI: We got the candy, we got the movies.  
  
RORY: Willy Wonka-  
  
LORELAI: Best movie ever made.  
  
RORY: The Fast and the Furious-  
  
LORELAI: Totally hot guys.  
  
RORY: And.Drive Me Crazy-  
  
LORELAI: Only to mock Melissa Joan Heart-Hey! I thought we got Never Been Kissed!  
  
RORY: No, we saved that till next time.  
  
LORELAI: We did?  
  
RORY: Yeah. Remember? Vin Deisel and Paul Walker were this weeks hotties, Michael Vartan was for next week.  
  
LORELAI: Oh yeah.  
  
RORY: [sigh] You have no idea.  
  
LORELAI: [shrug] None what so ever.  
  
RORY: Coffee deprived?  
  
LORELAI: Yes, I only had 7 cups today.  
  
RORY: Only 7?  
  
LORELAI: Sad, I know.  
  
RORY: You could do better.  
  
LORELAI: Oooh! I forgot, I have to get some stuff from Doose's.  
  
RORY: Okay.  
  
LORELAI: Meet you in the car?  
  
RORY: Yup.  
  
[RORY heads to the car. LORELAI heads to Doose's and bumps into Jess on the way in.]  
  
JESS: Sorry.  
  
LORELAI: My fault, lack of coffee.  
  
JESS: Bad.  
  
LORELAI: Yup.  
  
[Silence.]  
  
LORELAI: So.. how's Rory?  
  
JESS: You were just with her.  
  
LORELAI: Right. And to answer my own question, she's fine.  
  
JESS: Good.  
  
LORELAI: I'm trying to like you.  
  
JESS: Me too.  
  
LORELAI: I know you like her.. But if you ever hurt her, I will kick your ass so bad-  
  
JESS: I know. I've been warned, numerous times. even by people I haven't met.  
  
LORELAI: Well, that's Stars Hollow for you.  
  
JESS: Yeah.  
  
LORELAI: Hey, you know what'd be fun?  
  
JESS: Vandalizing the school? Chalk outlines? Robbery?  
  
LORELAI: If you came to movie night.  
  
JESS: I don't know.  
  
LORELAI: [coaxing] Rory would like it.  
  
JESS: Really?  
  
LORELAI: Sure! Why not?  
  
JESS: Okay.  
  
LORELAI: Good.  
  
JESS: When?  
  
LORELAI: Come by around seven?  
  
JESS: Okay.  
  
[JESS starts to walk away. LORELAI stops him.]  
  
LORELAI: Hey, Jess!  
  
JESS: Yeah?  
  
LORELAI: Could you bring some-  
  
JESS: Coffee?  
  
LORELAI: Yeah. And some-  
  
JESS: Food?  
  
LORELAI: Fries and stuff. Yeah. And some more-  
  
JESS: Coffee?  
  
LORELAI: [smiling] You're good at this game.  
  
JESS: [smirking] Maybe you're predictable.  
  
LORELAI: [defensive] Do you know me at all? I am anything but predicable.  
  
JESS: [still smirking] Saw that answer coming.  
  
LORELAI: Hmph!  
  
[LORELAI walks off.]  
  
GILMORE CAR  
  
[LORELAI and RORY are sitting in the car.]  
  
LORELAI: [pleading] Please don't hate me.  
  
RORY: [sigh] What did you do now?  
  
LORELAI: I invited Jess to movie night.  
  
RORY: [thinking] Okay.  
  
LORELAI: Don't be mad, I meant it as a.. a peace offering. Uhh.. okay?  
  
RORY: Yeah.  
  
LORELAI: [confused] But with Dean, you made this whole big deal about it.  
  
RORY: Jess isn't Dean.  
  
LORELAI: I know.  
  
RORY: It's different with Jess. I'm not so worried. This isn't our first date. And it's not like we haven't watched movies together before.  
  
LORELAI: [shrug] Okay.  
  
RORY: [sceptical] A peace offering?  
  
LORELAI: Yeah. See, I'm trying.  
  
RORY: I'm glad.  
  
LORELAI: Seriously trying.  
  
RORY: I know.  
  
LORELAI: I really want to like him.  
  
RORY: For me?  
  
LORELAI: For you. The things I do for my child.  
  
RORY: The things I let my mother do.  
  
LOREALI: Damn straight.  
  
RORY: When's he coming over?  
  
LORELAI: Seven.  
  
RORY: [frantic] Go! It's six and we have to clean the house!  
  
LORELAI: He's seen it.  
  
RORY: [loudly] GO!  
  
LORELAI: I thought you weren't worried.  
  
RORY: Maybe just a little. GO!  
  
[LORELAI and RORY zoom off in the car.]  
  
GILMORE HOME  
  
[Doorbell rings.]  
  
LORELAI: Rory! He's here!  
  
RORY: Hold on a sec.  
  
[RORY is frantically trying to create sitting space in the living room.]  
  
LORELAI: [impatient] Hurry up, he doesn't care what the house looks like.  
  
RORY: But there's nowhere to sit.  
  
JESS: [from outside] I don't care if there's nowhere to sit, I'm having a hard time holding the food and coffee here.  
  
RORY: You can hear us?  
  
JESS: You're not in a sound proof box.  
  
RORY: Right. Mom, let him in.  
  
LORELAI: Rory, he's your guy, you go.  
  
RORY: Fine, you have to clean.  
  
LORELAI: Go!  
  
[LORELAI sits on the couch. Not cleaning. RORY answers the door. JESS is standing there with a box and a tray.]  
  
RORY: Hey.  
  
[RORY gives JESS a quick kiss.]  
  
JESS: Hey.  
  
RORY: Welcome.  
  
JESS: Been here before. [pause] Mind if I drop off the food before it falls?  
  
RORY: Yeah. Don't go spilling the coffee.  
  
JESS: [nods] It's suicidal.  
  
LORELAI: [yelling] You bet!  
  
[JESS rolls his eyes and goes to the kitchen.]  
  
LATER  
  
[RORY is in JESS'S arms on the floor. LORELAI is lying on the couch.]  
  
RORY: [whispering] I think she's asleep.  
  
JESS: I should go before she gets up, then.  
  
RORY: Why?  
  
JESS: It's one in the morning. I don't think she wants to wake up with me here.  
  
RORY: [sad] It's late, what if you get stolen?  
  
JESS: I can take care of myself. Besides, this is Stars Hollow.  
  
[Pause.]  
  
RORY: Stay?  
  
JESS: You know I can't.  
  
[JESS gets up and takes RORY'S hand and leads her to the porch.]  
  
JESS: I can't stay over, Rory.  
  
RORY: I know. [pause] But I still want you to.  
  
JESS: My body parts will by lying all over the house by morning if I stay.  
  
RORY: I'd like to keep you intact.  
  
JESS: I'm trying to stay on your Mom's good side. [pause] For you.  
  
RORY: Thank you.  
  
JESS: I should go.  
  
RORY: Okay.  
  
[JESS pulls her into a hard kiss. He slowly pulls away and they look into each other's eyes before JESS walks off.]  
  
[END] 


	3. Tis The Season To Be Jolly

GILMORE DAYS  
  
Title: 'Tis The Season To Be Jolly  
  
Author: mocha-queen  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me. All of it belongs to those whose names appear on screen.  
  
Spoilers: General season 2 and parts of season 3. I just took a few things because I accidentally incorporated them later. Takes place in season 3. Dave is here.  
  
Summary: It's Christmas in Stars Hollow, let the festivities begin!  
  
Author Notes: This fic is basically my idea season 3, so it's a rewrite of GG season 3 and most of the TV stuff hasn't really happened unless I've incorporated it. But I ran into a problem when I put Dave in, when he wasn't really supposed to be there. So, let's just pretend that Dave came in like he did in the show.  
  
Thank you to all of you who have feedbacked. It means so much. And if you haven't sent feedback, please do! Again, all ideas for what else should happen are welcome.  
  
Adriannawolf- I know, New York isn't all bad. I've been there and it was really fun. But, there are also some not so great spots and bad families and whatnot. I just chose to make Jess grow up in the 'bad part'. It wasn't my intention to generalize New York as a bad place. New York rocks! Actually, it's sceptical or skeptical, both work. I personally like skeptical with a k but my computer likes to change it to a c, but hopefully it's fixed now.  
  
LUKE'S DINER  
  
LUKE: Taylor, no!  
  
TAYLOR: But Luke, you must contribute to the festivities of Stars Hollow.  
  
LUKE: I string lights, that's enough.  
  
TAYLOR: Luke-  
  
LUKE: No, Taylor. We go over this every year.  
  
TAYLOR: I know.  
  
LUKE: And every year, my answer is.  
  
TAYLOR: No.  
  
LUKE: And this year is no different.  
  
TAYLOR: But-  
  
LUKE: No.  
  
TAYLOR: I'll start a petition.  
  
LUKE: You do that.  
  
TAYLOR: I'll get Christmas decorations up in this Diner if it kills me.  
  
LUKE: Good to know.  
  
TAYLOR: You don't want to be the one responsible for my death.  
  
LUKE: I wouldn't be so sure.  
  
TAYOR: [frustrated] Good day.  
  
[LUKE rolls his eyes and watches TAYLOR leave. JESS comes in from the stairs, RORY and LORELAI enter a few minutes later. LORELAI and RORY sit at the bar. JESS stands in front of her and pulls her into a kiss. She smiles and sits back down.]  
  
JESS: Coffee?  
  
RORY: How well do you know us?  
  
JESS: Coffee it is. Anything else?  
  
RORY: No time.  
  
[JESS pulls out a donut and pours coffee in a to-go cup, and hands it to RORY.]  
  
JESS: How's that?  
  
RORY: Good.  
  
[BUS pulls up outside.]  
  
RORY: I gotta go.  
  
JESS: See ya after school?  
  
RORY: You bet.  
  
[JESS walks her out to the bus. His hands cup her face as he gives her a kiss.]  
  
JESS: Later.  
  
[JESS walks off to school, RORY gets on the bus. LORELAI and LUKE watch through the window.]  
  
LORELAI: Aren't they cute?  
  
LUKE: Sure.  
  
LORELAI: He's so..  
  
LUKE: Nice?  
  
LORELAI: Only to her.  
  
LUKE: He's nice to you.  
  
LORELAI: Only because he has to stay on my good side in order to date Rory.  
  
LUKE: Hey, at least he's nice.  
  
LORELAI: He hasn't caused much trouble since he's been back.  
  
LUKE: Much?  
  
LORELAI: Sure there was that chalk incident, then he 'accidentally' threw a basketball at some kid's head, and he conveniently forgot that that other kid was allergic to peanuts and gave him a peanut filled something or rather.  
  
LUKE: Yeah, not much trouble.  
  
LORELAI: No chalk out lines, though. No theft.  
  
LUKE: Right.  
  
LORELAI: You were right.  
  
LUKE: Coming from you, that's a first.  
  
LORELAI: They're good together.  
  
LUKE: Yeah, well. I told you so.  
  
LORELAI: Then you freaked. Hey, you figure out their secret kid code yet?  
  
LUKE: I didn't try.  
  
LORELAI: Yeah, you did.  
  
LUKE: I did not.  
  
LORELIA: Oh, I know you did. For a while you questioned everything they said.  
  
LUKE: I did not try and decipher their 'kid code'.  
  
LORELAI: Didn't get a thing?  
  
LUKE: Nope.  
  
INDEPENDENCE INN-KITCHEN  
  
SOOKIE: Hey, what are you guys doing for Christmas?  
  
LORELAI: I don't know yet. Me and Rory were thinking about throwing a Christmas bash.  
  
SOOKIE: [sadly] oh.  
  
LORELAI: Did you have something in mind?  
  
SOOKIE: I just thought we could do something.  
  
LORELAI: Just us?  
  
SOOKIE: You, me, Jackson, Rory, Jess, Luke.  
  
LORELAI: That'd be fun.  
  
SOOKIE: We could all get together for dinner, I could serve a 10 course meal..  
  
LORELAI: Sounds good.  
  
SOOKIE: But if you guys want to throw a party.  
  
LORELAI: You do know there are many days to have Christmas parties on.  
  
SOOKIE: You're right.  
  
LORELAI: How 'bout this. Christmas eve- big Gilmore party. Christmas dinner- Sookie's.  
  
SOOKIE: I like that idea.  
  
[MICHEL enters the kitchen.]  
  
MICHEL: Lorelai, phone.  
  
LORELAI: Take a message.  
  
MICHEL: [into phone] Even though she is seemingly not busy at the moment, she would like me to take a message. [pause] Yes, just a moment. [to Lorelai] It's your mother. She would like to talk to you.  
  
LORELAI: Fine. Sookie, can I count you down for catering Christmas Eve?  
  
SOOKIE: Yup.  
  
LORELAI: Great.  
  
[LORELAI takes the phone from MICHEL and exits.]  
  
LORELAI: Hello, Mom.  
  
EMILY: That was very rude, you know.  
  
LORELAI: Excuse me?  
  
EMILY: You were right there and asked your help to take a message.  
  
LORELAI: I was busy, and unlike you, I call my help by their name, Michel.  
  
EMILY: You were busy doing what?  
  
LORELAI: Making plans.  
  
EMILY: Good, you can continue to make plans.  
  
LORELAI: When?  
  
EMILY: Christmas Eve.  
  
LORELAI: Nope.  
  
EMILY: Your answer was too quick.  
  
LORELAI: I'm sorry. Nooooope.  
  
EMILY: Not funny.  
  
LORELAI: I just made plans for Christmas Eve.  
  
EMILY: I think you're lying.  
  
LORELAI: I am not. Ask Sookie, we just made plans for Christmas Eve.  
  
EMILY: What about Christmas?  
  
LORELAI: Plans there, too.  
  
EMILY: Will I see you at all this holiday season?  
  
LORELAI: There's Friday night dinner.  
  
EMILY: About that, I have to cancel this week.  
  
LORELAI: You do?  
  
EMILY: Yes, we have a Christmas party to attend that night. You can come to Friday night dinner if you want, but no one will be there.  
  
LORELAI: We could party!  
  
EMILY: Not under my roof.  
  
LORELAI: What happened to your annual Christmas party? Or am I not invited again?  
  
EMILY: It's on Christmas Eve which is why I asked if you had plans on Christmas Eve.  
  
LORELAI: Could you move the party?  
  
EMILY: You want to come?  
  
LORELAI: I like the tarts.  
  
EMILY: You want to come?  
  
LORELAI: We have gifts to give.  
  
EMILY: You want to come?  
  
LORELAI: Yes.  
  
EMILY: We'll move the party.  
  
LORELAI: Thank you.  
  
EMILY: I have to make a few phone calls. Does Saturday work?  
  
LORELAI: I'll have to pull Rory away from Jess, but yeah, it'll work.  
  
EMILY: What?  
  
LORELAI: I'll have to pull.. Oh, nothing.  
  
EMILY: You said Jess.  
  
LORELAI: I meant. me. I'll have to pull Rory away from me.  
  
EMILY: No, you said 'I'll have to pull Rory away from Jess.'  
  
LORELAI: Fine. Yes, I said Jess.  
  
EMILY: Jess?  
  
LORELAI: Yes.  
  
EMILY: The Jess that broke her arm?  
  
LORELAI: He didn't break it, it was a tiny fracture.  
  
EMILY: That's besides the point, he hurt her.  
  
LORELAI: I remember, he will always be the guy that hurt my baby, but I can't keep hating him for it, especially when Rory would do anything to see him.  
  
EMILY: Forbid her to see him.  
  
LORELAI: You of all people should know that doesn't work. Mom, my system works, she tells me stuff and that system does not involve locking her up and throwing away the key.  
  
EMILY: Lorelai-  
  
LORELAI: Mom, this is getting old. I've told you time and time again that I'm the one raising my daughter.  
  
EMILY: [gives in] When did this happen?  
  
LORELAI: At the play.  
  
EMILY: That was ages ago! How did I not know about this?  
  
LORELAI: Let's see, how did you just react?  
  
EMILY: So, you're coming Saturday?  
  
LORELAI: Wouldn't miss it for the world.  
  
EMILY: I'll call you later and give you the details.  
  
LORELAI: Thank you.  
  
EMILY: Goodbye, Lorelai.  
  
LORELAI: Goodbye, Mom.  
  
[They both hand up the phone and fall back onto a chair, sighing.]  
  
GILMORE HOUSE-LIVING ROOM  
  
[RORY walks in. LORELAI is in the kitchen with a pen and a pad of paper. RORY sits across from LORELAI.]  
  
RORY: What's up?  
  
LORELAI: Christmas planning.  
  
RORY: Sucks.  
  
LORELAI: Totally.  
  
RORY: What's on the agenda for this year?  
  
LORELAI: Saturday- Christmas party at the grandparents. Christmas Eve- Gilmore Christmas bash. And Christmas- dinner at Sookie's with us, Jess and Luke.  
  
RORY: Busy.  
  
LORELAI: Yup, and I haven't even begun Christmas shopping.  
  
RORY: Mom! You said you finished!  
  
LORELAI: I lied.  
  
RORY: I told you not to save it for the last minute, now here we are, like a week till Christmas, and you probably haven't bought anything.  
  
LORELAI: Not true.. I got a. a. Drat, I know I bought something.  
  
RORY: [skeptical] Sure.  
  
LORELAI: Oh! I bought your Grandparents an old lamp.  
  
RORY: Really?  
  
LORELAI: I just don't remember where I put it.  
  
RORY: Mom.  
  
LORELAI: I'm trying to think.  
  
RORY: Well, think harder. In the mean time, I'm going out.  
  
LORELAI: Hey, would you-  
  
RORY: I'll spread the word. What time?  
  
LORELAI: Seven, Christmas Eve.  
  
RORY: See ya.  
  
LORELAI: Bye.  
  
LUKE'S DINER  
  
[RORY and LANE are sitting at a table drinking coffee and eating burgers.]  
  
RORY: So, how are you and Dave?  
  
LANE: Really good.  
  
RORY: Has he kissed you yet?  
  
LANE: He hasn't even asked me out.  
  
RORY: He will.  
  
LANE: Even if he does. My mouth will go all dry, all thought will fly away, and I will be a blubbering moron. I won't even be able to say yes.  
  
RORY: Lane, breathe. You'll be fine.  
  
LANE: No, I won't.  
  
RORY: Oh hey, we're having this party on Christmas Eve. You should come.  
  
LANE: And how do you propose I escape my mother?  
  
RORY: Fib?  
  
LANE: That works.  
  
RORY: Invite Dave.  
  
LANE: He probably has better things to do on Christmas Eve.  
  
RORY: You could ask him.  
  
LANE: Do you remember me trying to call him but hanging up every time I heard his voice?  
  
RORY: You don't have to call him.  
  
LANE: But what if he doesn't call me, or I don't see him before that and he doesn't get invited?  
  
RORY: He's out side.  
  
LANE: [quickly looks outside and then back at RORY] Oh my God! He is! What do I do?  
  
RORY: Go out and talk to him?  
  
LANE: Good. Good, I like that. What do I say?  
  
RORY: I'd start with 'hello,' because 'mushrooms' is weird way to start a conversation.  
  
LANE: Hello, yeah. That's good. What next?  
  
RORY: Ask him to the party?  
  
LANE: Yes, yes. I can do that.  
  
RORY: But the trick is getting up, out of Luke's to go ask him.  
  
LANE: Yeah. [LANE tries to get up.] My legs aren't working.  
  
RORY: They work just fine.  
  
LANE: No, no they don't. I'm stuck in Luke's forever!  
  
RORY: I could go get Dave and make him carry you home.  
  
LANE: That would be embarrassing, I think I can walk by myself, thanks.  
  
RORY: No problem.  
  
LANE: I'll see you later?  
  
RORY: Yup.  
  
LANE: Bye.  
  
RORY: Good luck.  
  
LANE: I need it.  
  
OUTSIDE  
  
[LANE sits beside DAVE in the gazebo.]  
  
LANE: Hello  
  
DAVE: Hey.  
  
LANE: Hi.  
  
DAVE: Hi.  
  
LANE: Hi.  
  
DAVE: Know any other words?  
  
LANE: [embarrassed] Yeah, sorry.  
  
DAVE: It's okay. Any plans for Christmas?  
  
LANE: Actually. I was wondering if you wanted to come to this party my friend and her Mom are having on Christmas Eve.  
  
DAVE: I would-  
  
LANE: You don't have to come. No obligations, I was just asking. You know, to be polite. Like what if you weren't invited, and then found out about it, and felt left out because you weren't invited in the first place, and-  
  
DAVE: Lane?  
  
LANE: Yeah?  
  
DAVE: Breathe.  
  
LANE: Yeah, I can do that.  
  
DAVE: I would love to come.  
  
LANE: You don't have to, I was just ask-  
  
DAVE: [chuckling] Lane, stop. I'll be there.  
  
INSIDE LUKE'S DINER  
  
[RORY is watching LANE and DAVE outside. JESS sneaks up behind her and kisses her on the neck. RORY jumps.]  
  
RORY: Geez, don't do that, you'll give me a heart attack!  
  
JESS: Bad idea.  
  
RORY: Very. You'd be very lonely during the holidays with me dead from a heart attack.  
  
[JESS shrugs.]  
  
RORY: Not big on holidays, huh?  
  
JESS: Never had a reason to be.  
  
RORY: Well then, I guarantee that this Christmas will be your best.  
  
JESS: I'll hold you to that.  
  
RORY: Until next year, when that Christmas will be the best, until the year after, etc. etc.  
  
JESS: Good.  
  
[JESS and RORY look back out the window at LANE and DAVE.]  
  
RORY: They're so cute.  
  
JESS: Yeah.  
  
RORY: You think he'll ask her out?  
  
JESS: Yeah.  
  
RORY: If he doesn't I'm holding you personally responsible.  
  
JESS: How is that fair?  
  
RORY: Since when was life fair?  
  
JESS: You have a point.  
  
RORY: Got any Christmas plans yet?  
  
JESS: I don't know, do I?  
  
RORY: [sheepishly] Yes.  
  
JESS: What?  
  
RORY: Christmas Eve, my house.  
  
JESS: Just us?  
  
RORY: Yeah.. And the rest of Stars Hollow.  
  
JESS: Okay.  
  
RORY: [continuing] And Christmas.  
  
JESS: [sigh] What am I doing then?  
  
RORY: Sookie's for a big Christmas Dinner, and I mean big. Sookie cooking for a special occasion, we'll have a 100-course meal.  
  
JESS: Anything else I'm doing?  
  
RORY: Not that I'm aware of.  
  
JESS: Okay. [pause] Wanna go read?  
  
RORY: Sure.  
  
[JESS takes RORY'S hand and leads her to the door. LUKE steps in front of them.]  
  
LUKE: Where are you going?  
  
JESS: Out.  
  
RORY: [continuing] To read.  
  
LUKE: You're just going out to read?  
  
RORY: Yeah.  
  
JESS: You have a problem with us reading?  
  
LUKE: No, but usually couples don't just go off and read, they usually do stuff they shouldn't.  
  
JESS: Luke.  
  
LUKE: And then you use the kid code. You say you're going to go read but that really means I'm going to go do stuff that I don't want to do in front of adults.  
  
JESS: You done?  
  
LUKE: Yeah.  
  
RORY: Kid code?  
  
LUKE: [ashamed] Never mind.  
  
JESS: [cautious] We're gonna go now. Unless you have some crack reason why we can't leave the diner.  
  
LUKE: [embarrassed] Go. Now.  
  
[JESS and RORY exit. LUKE silently curses LORELAI under is breath for putting such a crazy idea into his head.]  
  
LATER-LUKE'S DINER  
  
[LORELAI is sitting at a table. LUKE is serving her. JESS is serving customers.]  
  
LUKE: What do you want today?  
  
LORELAI: To inform you that you will be closed on Christmas and Christmas Eve.  
  
LUKE: Excuse me?  
  
[JESS walks up.]  
  
JESS: I'm busy then, too.  
  
[JESS continues to serve customers because LUKE is obviously busy.]  
  
LUKE: Okay, what's going on?  
  
LORELAI: Christmas parties.  
  
LUKE: I don't do Christmas parties.  
  
LORELAI: Sure you do. You can't be that much of a scrooge.  
  
LUKE: How long have you known me?  
  
LORELAI: A long time.  
  
LUKE: And have I ever been known to go to the big Christmas celebration?  
  
LORELAI: No, you usually scoff.  
  
LUKE: Exactly.  
  
LORELAI: There's always room for change.  
  
LUKE: No.  
  
LOERLAI: Please.  
  
LUKE: Did you not hear me say no?  
  
LORELAI: Pretty please?  
  
LUKE: No.  
  
LORELAI: I won't drink coffee!  
  
LUKE: Ever?  
  
LORELAI: No! are you kidding?  
  
LUKE: Apparently.  
  
LORELAI: For an hour.  
  
LUKE: Two.  
  
LORELAI: But-but-fine!  
  
LUKE: [to JESS] What are you doing then?  
  
JESS: Ask Lorelai.  
  
[JESS looks at his watch and leaves.]  
  
LUKE: Hey! Where are you going?  
  
JESS: Out.  
  
LORELAI: And the kid code translation is?  
  
LUKE: Shut up.  
  
LORELAI: That was mean.  
  
LUKE: You're mean.  
  
LORELAI: Ah! How dare you accuse me of such a thing?  
  
LUKE: [gives her a funny look] Just tell me what you have planned for me so I can start getting out of it.  
  
LORELAI: Christmas Eve, party at my place, Christmas dinner at Sookies. And you're not getting out of it.  
  
LUKE: [angry] Made any other plans for me?  
  
LORELAI: Now that you mention it..  
  
LUKE: Forget it.  
  
[LORELAI'S cell phone rings. LUKE points to the sign.]  
  
LORELAI: But-  
  
[LUKE taps the sign.]  
  
LORELAI: [whining] Luke..  
  
[LUKE taps the sign harder.]  
  
LORELAI: Fine!  
  
[LORELAI goes outside and answers the phone.]  
  
LORELAI: You better have a good reason for calling, you just got me kicked out of Luke's.  
  
EMILY: Lorelai, how many times do I have to tell you not to answer the phone like that?  
  
LORELAI: Sorry.  
  
EMILY: You got kicked out of the iceman's diner?  
  
LORELAI: He doesn't allow cell phones. And he's not an iceman. Though, there was this one time when I-  
  
EMILY: Please stop.  
  
LORELAI: Okay.  
  
EMILY: Cocktails are at 6:30, dinner is at 8:00, as usual.  
  
LORELAI: This is Saturday, right?  
  
EMILY: Did you make plans?  
  
LORELAI: Just confirming.  
  
EMILY: Did you manage to tear Rory away from Jess?  
  
LORELAI: [sarcastically] I'm sure we can manage something, scalding water should do the trick.  
  
EMILY: Do not joke. [pause] She can bring this Jess.  
  
LORELAI: What?  
  
EMILY: Rory, she can bring Jess. He can't possibly be as bad as that other boy. what's his name?  
  
LORELAI: Dean.  
  
EMILY: Yes, Dean. He can't possibly be as bad as Dean.  
  
LORELAI: So, Jess is invited?  
  
EMILY: Yes.  
  
LORELAI: Great, leave me the odd man out.. err, woman.  
  
EMILY: I can invite a man for you.  
  
LORELAI: [reconsiders] No, sorry, forget it.  
  
EMILY: You could bring Luke.  
  
LORELAI: [warning] Mom.  
  
EMIY: Seriously, invite Luke as well. And it would only be polite, Jess and Luke are related, right?  
  
LORELAI: Right.  
  
EMILY: It would be rude to invite one and not the other.  
  
LORELAI: He won't mind, he probably doesn't want to come anyway.  
  
EMILY: Did you ask him?  
  
LORELAI: No, but-  
  
EMILY: Then how do you know he will say no?  
  
LORELAI: It's Luke. He always says no.  
  
EMILY: I've seen the way he looks at you. Just ask him, he'll say yes.  
  
LORELAI: Mom, he looks at me like he wants to kill me. I bug him so much.  
  
EMILY: You're both idiots.  
  
LORELAI: I'll tell Luke you said that. I'm sure he'll want to come after being insulted by the host.  
  
EMILY: Lorelai. Will you just ask him to come?  
  
LORELAI: Yes, but-  
  
EMILY: We'll see the four of you on Saturday.  
  
LORELAI: He might-  
  
EMILY: [grinning] Goodbye, Lorelai.  
  
LORELAI: [giving up] Bye, Mom.  
  
[LORELAI hangs up and goes back into LUKE'S. She sits back at the bar.]  
  
LORELAI: I'm cold.  
  
LUKE: It's cold out.  
  
LOREALI: I know.  
  
LUKE: Should have taken a jacket.  
  
LORELAI: I hate that sign.  
  
LUKE: I know.  
  
LORELAI: You have more plan-  
  
LUKE: No!  
  
LORELAI: [mumbling] I told you so.  
  
LUKE: Told me what?  
  
LORELAI: Not you, my Mom. She said that you would come to her Christmas party on Saturday if I asked you. You said no. Therefore, I told *her* so.  
  
LUKE: You didn't ask.  
  
LORELAI: Fine. [humouring] Luke, would care to join me at my parent's Christmas party on Saturday.  
  
LUKE: Fine.  
  
LORELAI: [taken back] What?  
  
LUKE: Fine.  
  
LORELAI: Seriously?  
  
LUKE: Yeah.  
  
LORELAI: Shoot, Mom was right.  
  
LUKE: What about Jess?  
  
LORELAI: He was invited, too.  
  
LUKE: I might as well just close for the holidays.  
  
LORELAI: You could.  
  
LUKE: You wouldn't get your coffee.  
  
LORELAI: But if you're closed, I'd still be here anyway as your one and only customer and you would get to serve me, and only me.  
  
LUKE: Oh, God.  
  
LORELAI: No! wait! [trails off]  
  
CHILTON  
  
[RORY and PARIS are lugging their school books out of the school.]  
  
RORY: I don't believe today is the last day of school.  
  
PARIS: We'll be back in 2 weeks.  
  
RORY: I don't believe they assigned all this homework.  
  
PARIS: Don't want us getting stupid over the break.  
  
[Pause.]  
  
RORY: What are you doing for the holidays?  
  
PARIS: Working.  
  
RORY: Lighten up, Paris, it's Christmas.  
  
PARIS: Time for making sure I get into Harvard.  
  
RORY: No, a time to *relax*.  
  
PARIS: Whatever. What are you doing?  
  
RORY: Lots of Christmas parties.  
  
PARIS: [sadly] Oh.  
  
RORY: You could come.  
  
PARIS: [trying to sound too excited] Really?  
  
RORY: Why not?  
  
PARIS: I don't want to intrude, you probably have something special planned with your Mom.  
  
RORY: Just a bunch of parties.  
  
PARIS: You and Jess will be stuck together.  
  
RORY: Invite Jamie.  
  
PARIS: But-  
  
RORY: You're coming to our Christmas bash on Christmas Eve. No buts.  
  
PARIS: Okay.  
  
RORY: I could probably get you into my grandparent's party, though I'm not sure why you'd want to come.  
  
PARIS: I like your Grandfather.  
  
RORY: He likes you.  
  
PARIS: If he doesn't mind, I would like to come. I have a few ideas I want to run by him.  
  
RORY: Don't talk too much shop or else Grandma will get mad.  
  
PARIS: Don't worry, I just have a *few* ideas.  
  
RORY: So you're definitely coming on Christmas Eve, though?  
  
PARIS: Yes. [pause] Why are you doing this?  
  
RORY: Doing what?  
  
PARIS: Being nice to me.  
  
RORY: I'm usually nice to you.  
  
PARIS: But you're going out of your way to include me. Why?  
  
RORY: You shouldn't be alone for Christmas.  
  
PARIS: Great, a pity invite.  
  
RORY: And, even though we don't always get along, you are a friend-like person, and I'm inviting you to a party.  
  
PARIS: Friend-like?  
  
RORY: I didn't think you would consider us friends.  
  
PARIS: [sadly] oh.  
  
RORY: Are we friends?  
  
PARIS: I'm not sure.  
  
RORY: Did you want to be friends?  
  
PARIS: It would be nice to have a friend that isn't such an airhead.  
  
RORY: Always good.  
  
[PARIS extends her hand. RORY takes it.]  
  
PARIS: Friends.  
  
RORY: Friends.  
  
PARIS: But none of that huggy and kissy crap.  
  
RORY: No, none of that.  
  
PARIS: [pause] Can I really invite Jamie?  
  
RORY: Of course.  
  
GILMORE HOUSE-SATURDAY  
  
[LUKE is outside the house and knocks on the door.]  
  
LOREAI: [yelling] Luke?  
  
LUKE: Yeah.  
  
LORELAI: Come in! I'm just about ready.  
  
[LUKE enters and closes the door behind him. He rocks on his feet waiting for her to finish. She finally comes down the stairs. She is in a beautiful dark blue dress, he's dressed up in a suit, complete with tie and jacket.]  
  
LUKE: [amazed] Wow, you look. great.  
  
LORELAI: You.. uh, you too. [pause] Wow, for once I'm speechless.  
  
LUKE: We should, uh, get going.  
  
LORELAI: Yeah, don't want to be late.  
  
LUKE: No.  
  
LORELAI: Can you drive?  
  
LUKE: Why?  
  
LORELAI: [holds up her hands] My nails are wet.  
  
LUKE: Fine. Keys?  
  
LORELAI: In there.  
  
[LORELAI points to a bowl filled with nick knacks. LUKE sighs and digs around.]  
  
LUKE: [sarcastically] Great.  
  
[LUKE pulls out keys with the Jeep symbol on them. He looks triumphant as he turns to LORELAI. She shakes her head and he goes back to digging.]  
  
LUKE: Jess and Rory are.  
  
LORELAI: In Hartford. They're picking up some last minute gifts and she has to get something for the Grandparents because I can't find the lamp I bought.  
  
LUKE: Oh. [holds up keys] These them?  
  
LORELAI: Yup, let's go!  
  
PARKING LOT-JESS'S CAR  
  
RORY: We can't just sit in this car forever. We're going to be late.  
  
JESS: Yeah. Just gimme a sec?  
  
RORY: Sure.  
  
[JESS slides back in the seat, sighing.]  
  
RORY: [serious, but teasing] Awww, are you nervous about meeting my grandparents?  
  
JESS: [rolls his eyes] Yes.  
  
RORY: It'll be okay, you know that.  
  
JESS: Sure..  
  
RORY: Grandma will hate you for the first little while, but once you show her what a great guy you are, she'll love you. And as soon as you and Grandpa start discussing books, you will have an instant bond.  
  
JESS: I've just. never met a girl's parents, or grandparents for that matter.  
  
RORY: You've met my Mom.  
  
JESS: That's different.  
  
RORY: You'll be okay.  
  
[JESS doesn't believe her and rolls his eyes again. RORY just watches in amusement. She then closes the gap between them and locks her lips on his. She slowly crawls over, still kissing him, so her body is resting on his.]  
  
ELDER GILMORE HOME  
  
[PARIS is outside and rings the door bell.]  
  
EMILY: Oh, hello Paris!  
  
PARIS: Hi. Thank you for inviting me.  
  
[PARIS hands the maid her coat.]  
  
EMILY: Oh, no problem. Anything for Rory, and Richard is looking forward to seeing you again.  
  
PARIS: [excited] Really?  
  
EMILY: Of course. He often wonders what happened to that delightful Paris girl.  
  
[RICHARD enters.]  
  
RICHARD: I heard my name.  
  
EMILY: Look, Richard, Paris is here.  
  
RICHARD: Hello, Paris.  
  
[RICHARD and PARIS shake hands.]  
  
PARIS: Hello, Mr. Gilmore.  
  
RICHARD: Please, call me Richard.  
  
PARIS: Okay, Richard.  
  
RICHARD: Have Rory and Lorelai arrived yet?  
  
EMILY: [bitter] No, I bet it's because of that Jess boy. He probably got them in another accident.  
  
RICHARD: [warning] Emily.  
  
PARIS: They're probably stuck in traffic or something. The roads are icy.  
  
EMILY: [to a guest] Are the roads icy?  
  
GUEST #1: Yes, very. I almost crashed twice on my way over.  
  
EMILY: Oh, dear! Are you alright?  
  
GUEST #1: Yes. Thank you, Emily. Lovely party.  
  
EMILY: Thank you.  
  
RICHARD: Happy?  
  
EMILY: [turns back to RICHARD and PARIS] Yes.  
  
RICHARD: Now, if you don't mind, I would like to steal Paris away.  
  
EMILY: Oh, go ahead.  
  
PARIS: Nice to see you again, Mrs. Gilmore.  
  
EMILY: Emily, dear, call me Emily. And I will be seeing you again, I should hope.  
  
PARIS: [nods] Of course.  
  
EMILY: Richard, dinner is at eight, don't be late.  
  
RICHARD: [rolls his eyes] Yes, Emily.  
  
[PARIS and RICHARD walk off. Just as EMILY is about to go, the door bell rings. EMILY answers. LUKE and LORELAI are on the other side.]  
  
LORELAI: Hi, Mom.  
  
LUKE: Hi, Mrs. Gilmore. Sorry we're late, the roads are bad.  
  
EMILY: Don't worry about it. As long as you arrived in once piece.  
  
LORELAI: Oh, don't fret. Mr. 20-miles-a-hour here made sure of that.  
  
EMILY: At least he's safe compared to some family members.speaking of which, where's Rory?  
  
LORELAI: [confused] She's not here?  
  
EMILY: She didn't come with you?  
  
LORELAI: Umm, no. She and Jess went shopping for gifs earlier. They said they'd meet us here.  
  
EMILY: I bet they crashed or something equally bad.  
  
LORELAI: No, Mom. They'll be here. They're probably just stuck in traffic or something.  
  
EMILY: If he hurts her again.  
  
LORELAI: He won't.  
  
EMILY: [to LUKE] Will he?  
  
LUKE: No, he really likes her.  
  
EMILY: [still not convinced] Do I have permission to hurt him if he hurts her?  
  
LUKE: I think Lorelai gets first dibs.  
  
LORELAI: Damn straight.  
  
EMILY: Go, enjoy the party.  
  
LORELAI: [mischievous] Did you make those apple tarts?  
  
EMILY: [smiling] Yes, Lorelai.  
  
[LORELAI runs away looking for tarts.]  
  
LUKE: I'll make sure she doesn't get into to too much trouble..  
  
[LUKE follows LORELAI and EMILY just smiles.]  
  
PARKING LOT-JESS'S CAR  
  
[RORY and JESS are back sitting in their respective seats.]  
  
RORY: We really should go, we're going to be late.  
  
JESS: Yeah, sorry.  
  
RORY: It's okay.  
  
[JESS starts the car but doesn't drive.]  
  
RORY: [annoyed] Drive. Now. They're going to be worried and they'll blame it on you. Not the way to make a great first impression.  
  
JESS: Fine, let's go.  
  
[They leave but suddenly stop as traffic is backed up the highway.]  
  
RORY: [frustrated] Great. This is just what I need.  
  
JESS: [sarcastic and trying not to laugh] Oh yeah, this is exactly what we need.  
  
RORY: You aren't worried! Why are you not worried? They'll be worried and freak when we get there!  
  
JESS: We're stuck in traffic, we'll tell them that.  
  
RORY: They'll freak.  
  
JESS: We were stuck in traffic. It's not like we can help it.  
  
RORY: [teasing] This is all your fault you know.  
  
JESS: And how is that?  
  
RORY: If you weren't all stressed about meeting my grandparents then we would have gotten on the road earlier and not be stuck in traffic now.  
  
JESS: I wasn't that worried.  
  
RORY: You were so.  
  
JESS: At least I had good reason. I hear Lorelai bitch about them all the time.  
  
RORY: They're not that bad.  
  
JESS: But they already hate me.  
  
RORY: No they. Grandma does.  
  
JESS: [smirking] Told ya so.  
  
PARTY  
  
[EMLIY walks up to LORELAI and LUKE at the table with the apple tarts.]  
  
EMILY: Lorelai!  
  
LORELAI: Mom, these apple tarts are the best!  
  
EMILY: I'm glad you like them. Rory's not here yet. I'm worried.  
  
LORELAI: Mom-  
  
EMILY: Call her.  
  
LORELAI: She doesn't have a phone.  
  
EMILY: Page her.  
  
LORELAI: If they're stuck in traffic she can't exactly run to a pay phone.  
  
EMILY: Well, surely that boy Jess must have a cell phone.  
  
LORELAI: Mom, who are we kidding. He lives with Luke.  
  
LUKE: That would be her way of saying that he doesn't own a cell phone.  
  
EMILY: Oh. You must have a better way of contacting Rory if she's going to be running off with Jess.  
  
LORELAI: She's not running off.  
  
LUKE: [interrupting] We'll get them some cell phones.  
  
EMILY: Good. Now, enjoy the party.  
  
[EMILY leaves]  
  
LORELAI: [surprised] Oh my god! How did you do that?  
  
LUKE: Do what?  
  
LORELAI: Make my mother go away. Just like that.  
  
LUKE: I told her what she wanted to hear.  
  
LORELAI: And that worked?  
  
LUKE: Works on you.  
  
LORELAI: [sticks her tongue out] Mean.  
  
[The door bell rings and EMILY runs to answer it. She opens the door to see RORY and JESS bearing gifts.]  
  
EMILY: [relieved] Oh, Rory! We were so worried.  
  
RORY: Hi Grandma.  
  
[EMILY hugs RORY. LORELAI and LUKE enter.]  
  
LORELAI: She was worried, we knew you were fine.  
  
EMILY: [concerned] You're okay? Nothing happened? Nothing broken?  
  
RORY: No. I'm fine. Jess is fine. We got off to a late start and got stuck in traffic.  
  
EMILY: But you're okay?  
  
RORY: We're fine. We brought gifts!  
  
[EMILY takes them and places them under the tree.]  
  
EMILY: Thank you.  
  
RORY: Grandma, this is Jess. Jess this is my Grandma, Emily Gilmore.  
  
[EMILY and JESS shake hands.]  
  
JESS: It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Gilmore.  
  
EMILY: [pretending to be pleasant] Likewise.  
  
JESS: I've heard so much about you.  
  
EMILY: I can only imagine the crazy stories Lorelai has told you.  
  
JESS: There was one where you were abducted by aliens.. but from Rory, nothing but good things about her grandparents.  
  
EMILY: [blushing] Oh, Rory, you are too good to us.  
  
RORY: I only told the truth.  
  
EMILY: Thank you, dear.  
  
RORY: If you don't mind, I'm going to introduce him to Grandpa.  
  
EMILY: Of course. I think he and Paris are in the study discussing god knows what.  
  
RORY: Thank you, Grandma. Sorry about being late.  
  
EMILY: [smiling] Can't help the traffic.  
  
JESS: [winking at RORY] No, you can't.  
  
[RORY and JESS hand their coats to the maid. RORY takes JESS'S hand and leads him to RICHARD'S study where he and PARIS are discussing something.]  
  
RICHARD: He had no right to close it down. Johnson started the company from scratch!  
  
PARIS: He had to save money where he could.  
  
RICHARD: Money ahead of employees?  
  
PARIS: It's been known to happen.  
  
[RICHARD laughs and notices RORY and JESS at the door.]  
  
RICHARD: Oh, there you are!  
  
RORY: Sorry we're late. Traffic.  
  
[RICHARD and PARIS share a knowing look.]  
  
RICHARD: You missed the most interesting discussions.  
  
RORY: I'm sorry I missed it. [pause] Grandpa, I'd like you to meet Jess. Jess, this is my grandpa, Richard Gilmore, business man extraordinaire.  
  
RICHARD: Flattering. Thank you. [they shake hands] Very nice to meet you Jess.  
  
JESS: You too, Sir.  
  
RICHARD: Richard, Jess. Sir is much too formal.  
  
JESS: Sure.  
  
RICHARD: Have a seat.  
  
[RORY sits in a black leather chair, JESS sits on the arm, his arm draped over her shoulders.]  
  
RICHARD: Jess, Paris says you like to read.  
  
JESS: I do.  
  
RICHARD: Favourite author?  
  
JESS: Dear old Earnest Hemingway.  
  
RICHARD: A fine choice, if I do say so myself. Though, I can't seem to get Rory interested in his fine works.  
  
JESS: You're not the only one. I've been trying for a good year now. She has yet to see the brilliance of Hemingway.  
  
RORY: [lightly elbows JESS] Hey!  
  
JESS: She likes this Ayn Rand nut. Constantly trying to get me to enjoy "The Fountainhead."  
  
RICHARD: Ah yes.  
  
PARIS: Hey! I like Ayn Rand.  
  
RORY: Thank you, Paris.  
  
JESS: I question your tastes.  
  
RORY: [drops her head] Oh no, here we go again.  
  
JESS: Hemingway, on the other hand.  
  
LATER AT DINNER  
  
[EMILY taps a glass at the end of a long table flanked by people.]  
  
EMILY: I'd just like to thank everyone for coming. I'd say this is our most successful Christmas party ever, don't you think so, Richard?  
  
RICHARD: Of course, dear.  
  
EMILY: It is a pleasure to have all you wonderful people here at such a wonderful time of year. I hope you don't enjoy yourselves too much and have to stay the night.  
  
[The crowd laughs.]  
  
GUEST #2: Oh, Emily. You're a hoot.  
  
GUEST #3: [to LORELAI] I see where you get your sense of humour from.  
  
LORELAI: [rolls her eyes] Oh, so you saw the contagious humour monster, did you?  
  
GUEST #3: I don't get it.  
  
LORELAI: Nevermind.  
  
EMILY: [continues] May all of you enjoy a very merry Christmas.  
  
[EMILY sits and RICHARD stands.]  
  
RICHARD: Thank you Emily. I'd like to thank you all for coming and, dig in!  
  
[Everyone begins to eat, talk, laugh, and have a good time.]  
  
[TBC] 


	4. Roasting On An Open Fire

GILMORE DAYS  
  
Title: Roasting On An Open Fire  
  
Author: mocha-queen  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me. All of it belongs to those whose names appear on screen.  
  
Spoilers: General season 2 and parts of season 3. I just took a few things because I accidentally incorporated them later. Takes place in season 3. Dave is here.  
  
Summary: It's Christmas in Stars Hollow, let the festivities begin! Part 2 of Tis The Season To Be Jolly.  
  
Author Notes: This fic is basically my idea season 3, so it's a rewrite of GG season 3 and most of the TV stuff hasn't really happened unless I've incorporated it. But I ran into a problem when I put Dave in, when he wasn't really supposed to be there. So, let's just pretend that Dave came in like he did in the show.  
  
Thank you to all of you who have feedbacked. It means so much. And if you haven't sent feedback, please do! Again, all ideas for what else should happen are welcome.  
  
Adriannawolf- Hey, how about I just keep your name in my Author Notes just for fun? He he he.  
  
This is the last for a while. I don't have anything else written for this at the moment, but when the mood and muse strikes me, you will have more. But don't fear, I do have more fic. Tomorrow, look for my newest one, "Letters of Remembrance." Read it, it's really, really good. And coming from me about my own fic, that's saying a lot.  
  
---------------  
  
ELDER GILMORE PARTY  
  
[JESS and RORY are sitting on a couch.]  
  
JESS: I'm bored.  
  
RORY: [shrugs] Okay.  
  
JESS: Do you wanna do something?  
  
RORY: Like?  
  
JESS: Oh, I don't know.  
  
[He yawns and stretches and puts an arm over her shoulders.]  
  
RORY: Sneaky.  
  
JESS: I could always sneeze and my hand could fall and..  
  
RORY: Not now.  
  
JESS: [mock hurt] Spoil my fun.  
  
RORY: I spoil your fun now, but just you wait.  
  
JESS: And what if I can't wait?  
  
RORY: Good things come to those who wait.  
  
JESS: Damn.  
  
RORY: Sorry, babe.  
  
JESS: [shrugs] Well, I can tease you too, you know.  
  
RORY: You wouldn't. Not in front of Grandma's friends. And my mother!  
  
JESS: Wouldn't I?  
  
RORY: [pleading] Jess. Don't.  
  
JESS: [holds up his hands in surrender] Okay.  
  
[RORY similes and leans into him.]  
  
JESS: I'm bored.  
  
[RORY rolls her eyes.]  
  
ELSEWHERE  
  
[LUKE and LORELAI are standing by the dessert table talking.]  
  
LORELAI: Can you make me some coffee?  
  
LUKE: There's coffee right in front of you.  
  
LORELAI: It's not as good as yours.  
  
LUKE: I can't make you coffee here.  
  
LORELAI: Because you don't have Luke's special coffee beans?  
  
LUKE: Something like that.  
  
LORELAI: We could run back to Luke's get some coffee beans and come back and then you can make coffee.  
  
LUKE: Or while we're there, we could get you a cup of coffee.  
  
LORELAI: Yes! To hold me over until we get back and you can make the coffee. [British accent] Smart man, you are Lucas, smart man.  
  
LUKE: [warning] Don't..  
  
LORELAI: Don't what?  
  
LUKE: Don't call me that.  
  
LORELAI: Okay I won't call you *that*.  
  
LUKE: You know what I mean.  
  
LORELAI: [mock stupidity] No, I don't.  
  
LUKE: [whispering] Don't call me *Lucas*.  
  
LORELAI: Well, since you asked nicely.. I guess I can give it up. for a few days.  
  
[LUKE rolls his eyes as EMILY walks over.]  
  
EMILY: Oh, there you are! I've been looking everywhere for you two.  
  
LUKE: Always check with the coffee.  
  
LORELAI: Yes, Mom, have I taught you nothing? You always look by the coffee.  
  
EMILY: Apparently not. [pause] Come with me, you two, I need your help.  
  
LORELAI: You need *my* help?  
  
EMILY: Yes. Is that so hard to believe?  
  
LORELAI: It's Ripley's worthy.  
  
EMILY: [to Luke] What is she talking about?  
  
LUKE: No one will ever know. [pause] You needed help?  
  
EMILY: Yes. Come you two.  
  
[LUKE and LORELAI follow EMILY down the hall to a small room. LUKE and LORELAI are standing in the doorway, EMILY is right behind them. LORELAI looks into the near empty room.]  
  
LORELAI: How exactly do you need my help?  
  
[EMILY points above their heads.]  
  
EMILY: [mock surprise] Oh, look, mistletoe! Such a coincidence. I'll leave the two of you alone now.  
  
[EMILY leaves, grinning to herself.]  
  
LORELAI: Mistletoe. Huh. That was totally not planted there.  
  
LUKE: We could.. uh, skip it if you want.  
  
LORELAI: No, it's tradition. Those under the mistletoe kiss, right?  
  
LUKE: [unsure] Right.  
  
LORELAI: You know what? You're right, we don't have to.  
  
LUKE: And break tradition?  
  
LORELAI: That's bad luck.  
  
LUKE: Don't want that.  
  
[Slowly LORELAI and LUKE inch closer together till they kiss. The kiss becomes heated till LORELAI pulls away.]  
  
LUKE: Sorry.  
  
LORELAI: Me too.  
  
LUKE: [disappointed] Yeah.  
  
LORELAI: Actually, I'm not.  
  
LUKE: [hopeful] No?  
  
LORELAI: Nope. You know why? Because you're a good kisser.  
  
[LORELAI pulls LUKE inside the room, closes the door and while kissing, presses him up against it.]  
  
ELSEWHERE  
  
[RORY and JESS are still on the couch.]  
  
RORY: I'm bored.  
  
JESS: I'm still bored.  
  
RORY: I wonder where Luke and Mom are.  
  
JESS: Probably pretending they don't have feelings for each other.  
  
RORY: I like those odds.  
  
JESS: Or, maybe they finally got together and are in a room right now-  
  
RORY: Gross. Did not need that image.  
  
JESS: You're right. I can live with out imaging Luke and Lorelai. Okay, I'm stopping now.  
  
RORY: Thank you.  
  
JESS: I'm bored.  
  
RORY: Me too. [pause] How bout a tour?  
  
[JESS stands and helps her up.]  
  
JESS: Sure.  
  
LATER  
  
[RORY and JESS are outside a room.]  
  
RORY: And this is Mom's old room.  
  
[JESS pokes his head in.]  
  
JESS: Cool.  
  
RORY: Yeah.  
  
JESS: Big house.  
  
RORY: No kidding, I used to get lost.  
  
JESS: Really?  
  
RORY: [embarrassed] I cried.  
  
[JESS kisses RORY in the cheek before going to sit on the bed.]  
  
JESS: Comfy.  
  
[RORY comes to stand between his legs.]  
  
RORY: Really?  
  
JESS: Yeah.  
  
[JESS pulls RORY so she's leaning against him.]  
  
RORY: I'm sorry.  
  
JESS: About?  
  
RORY: The party. Not fun.  
  
JESS: It's okay.  
  
RORY: How were the grandparents?  
  
JESS: [smirking] Good, considering I'm about to corrupt their granddaughter.  
  
[RORY smiles and kisses JESS lightly. He pulls her into a deep kiss and pulls her back onto the bed.]  
  
ELSEWHERE  
  
[EMILY is running around and finds PARIS and RICHARD.]  
  
EMILY: Have either of you seen Jess and Rory?  
  
PARIS: Nope, sorry.  
  
RICHARD: No I haven't, and come to think of it, I haven't seen Lorelai and Luke either.  
  
EMILY: Oh, don't worry about Lorelai and Luke. I'm sure they're busy.  
  
RICHARD: What did you do?  
  
EMILY: Nothing.  
  
RICHARD: You were never one for doing nothing.  
  
EMILY: Richard! How dare you accuse me of such a thing?  
  
RICHARD: Emily..  
  
EMILY: I just wanted to know if either of you had seen Rory and Jess.  
  
RICHARD: I'm sure they're around somewhere.  
  
EMILY: [bitter] Somewhere un-chaperoned.  
  
[EMILY storms off in search of RORY and JESS. She walks past LORELAI'S room but doubles back thinking she might as well check it. She finds JESS'S upper body over RORY on LORELAI'S bed.]  
  
EMILY: [screaming] OH MY GOD!  
  
[PARIS and RICHARD hear and go to check it out. LUKE and LORELAI are still in the room making out.]  
  
[EMILY runs over and pulls JESS off RORY.]  
  
EMILY: Just what do you think you are doing?!?!  
  
JESS: Uhh..  
  
RORY: [embarrassed] Grandma.  
  
[RICHARD and PARIS appear.]  
  
RICHARD: What's going on?  
  
EMILY: I found them [motions to JESS and RORY] on *that*! [points to the bed]  
  
PARIS: On the bed?  
  
EMILY: Yes!  
  
RICHARD: I'm sure they were just-  
  
EMILY: He was on top of her, kissing!  
  
PARIS: [shocked] Rory!  
  
RORY: Wait. We weren't.  
  
EMILY: You know what? This isn't my problem. I'm taking you to your mother!  
  
RORY: Where is-  
  
EMILY: I don't want to hear another word out of you.  
  
JESS: But-  
  
[EMILY sends a death glare Jess's way and he stops.]  
  
RICHARD: Emily, calm-  
  
EMILY: No! I will not calm down! I just found my granddaughter and him [points to JESS] on a bed in an empty room, doing god knows what! I will not calm down!  
  
[EMILY grabs RORY'S hand and pulls her behind. RORY grabs JESS'S hand and pulls him. RICHARD and PARIS run after the three, eager to see what happens next.]  
  
EMPTY ROOM  
  
[LORELAI and LUKE are on the couch kissing when EMILY barges in pulling the two teens behind her. LORELAI and LUKE immediately break apart.]  
  
LORELAI: [breathless] The. mistletoe. It made me. [notices the crowd] What's up?  
  
EMILY: You will never guess what I found these two doing.  
  
LORELAI: Reading?  
  
EMILY: Kissing! On your bed!  
  
LORELAI: Oh.  
  
EMILY: That's all you have to say?  
  
LORELAI: For now, yes. I'll deal with it when I get home.  
  
EMILY: But they were on your bed! Kissing and doing god knows what else!  
  
LORELAI: [trying to remain calm] I really don't want to be arguing about this at your party.  
  
EMILY: This is all your fault.  
  
LORELAI: My fault? How did Rory and Jess kissing become my fault?  
  
EMILY: Because you let her see him!  
  
LORELAI: I don't have a choice in who she likes.  
  
EMILY: You could-  
  
LORELAI: No. I'm not turning into you and stopping Rory from having anything that resembles a life!  
  
EMILY: You need to stop this before she turns out like you!  
  
LORELAI: [yelling] And that's so bad? Look at me, Mom! I'm successful, I have a brilliant daughter and the best friend anyone could ask for.  
  
EMILY: Lorelai-  
  
LORELAI: No, Mom!  
  
RORY: Guys, can you just stop this? Grandma, this isn't Mom's fault. I'm completely to blame.  
  
EMILY: No, dear, I don't blame you. But I do blame Jess.  
  
RORY: What?  
  
EMILY: You arrived late, which was probably his doing. He got you in an accident. He's going to get you pregnant!  
  
RORY: Grandma, please stop.  
  
EMILY: No! Your mother won't do anything about you and Jess, but I will. Rory, I forbid you to see him!  
  
[RORY'S eyes fill with tears and she runs from the room. EMILY walks out the door but is shoved away by JESS who runs after RORY. EMILY is about to chase after them too.]  
  
LORELAI: [warning] Mom.  
  
EMILY: But-  
  
LORELAI: Mom, you've done enough damage for one night.  
  
EMILY: Aren't you going to-  
  
LORELAI: Jess will handle it.  
  
[EMILY looks at LUKE.]  
  
LUKE: [shrugs] He'll take care of it.  
  
OUTSIDE  
  
[RORY runs out the doors and stops when she reaches the balcony railing. JESS comes out soon after. RORY is still crying. JESS approaches her slowly.]  
  
JESS: It's cold.  
  
RORY: [sniffling] I don't care.  
  
JESS: You'll get sick at Christmas.  
  
RORY: [angry] Did you not hear me say I don't care?!?  
  
[JESS is now in front of RORY and pulls her into his arms.]  
  
JESS: [softly] Hey, hey. It's okay...  
  
RORY: [crying] No.. It's not.  
  
JESS: It will be.  
  
RORY: It's Christmas and I just got into a fight with Grandma. I hate this.  
  
JESS: I know. [pause] You're shivering.  
  
[JESS takes off his jacked and puts it over her. He stands behind her and wraps his arms around her waist. They stand watching the snow start to fall.]  
  
INSIDE  
  
[RICHAR, EMILY, and LORELAI are still in the room. PARIS and LUKE have left.]  
  
EMILY: Well, someone should go find them.  
  
LORELAI: [angry] I think you've done enough.  
  
RICHARD: [to EMILY] This is not your problem.  
  
EMILY: It concerns my granddaughter.  
  
LORELAI: Well, it concerns my daughter! [pause] You can't control her life like you did mine.  
  
[Silence.]  
  
EMILY: I hate how things are between us.  
  
LORELAI: I do too.  
  
EMILY: You wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for the fact that you couldn't pay for Rory's tuition.  
  
LORELAI: Hey, I come to the Christmas party for the apple tarts!  
  
RICHARD: Lorelai..  
  
LORELAI: Fine. [pause] I would have come home eventually.  
  
EMILY: Really?  
  
LORELAI: Yeah, I probably would have needed to borrow money *later*.  
  
RICHARD: [frustrated] Lorelai.  
  
LORELAI: Mom, look. I know you were only doing what you thought was right.  
  
EMILY: I wanted you to have the best.  
  
LORELAI: I didn't want the best of that world. I didn't want to live the life you had.  
  
EMILY: The life I live is fine!  
  
LORELAI: Maybe for you, but not for me. My life, right now, that's fine.  
  
EMILY: You hate us.  
  
LORELAI: I don't hate you.  
  
EMILY: Yes, you do.  
  
LORELAI: On occasion, there may be some feelings of dislike towards you. but I never will fully hate you. You're my parents. You gave me a home, you gave me everything you thought I should have.  
  
EMILY: You resent us, then.  
  
LORELAI: [smiling] Not always.  
  
RICHARD: Now that we have that settled.. What will you two do about Rory?  
  
OUTSIDE  
  
[RORY is still wrapped in JESS'S arms, except she's facing him and her head is resting on his chest. They're swaying, slowly dancing to the distant music from inside.]  
  
RORY: [softly] Thank you. I didn't mean to get. You know.  
  
JESS: Don't worry about it.  
  
RORY: Just. She doesn't give you a chance. She would love you.  
  
JESS: I'm not so sure.  
  
RORY: [sighing] You're right.  
  
JESS: Be happy that your Grandpa doesn't mind me.  
  
RORY: [smiling] That's good.  
  
[Silence, but they still dance.]  
  
RORY: I want to go home.  
  
JESS: Let's go.  
  
RORY: It's the middle of the party.  
  
JESS: Who cares? We have keys, we have a car. Let's go.  
  
RORY: [giving in] Okay. Let's go find tell Mom and Luke we're going.  
  
[They go back inside in search of LUKE and LORELAI.]  
  
RORY: So, do you think it's just a hook up or they'll start dating?  
  
JESS: Who? Luke and Lorleai?  
  
RORY: Yeah.  
  
JESS: I think with help from us, they'll get together.  
  
RORY: [smiling] Good.  
  
ROOM  
  
[RICHARD has left. LORELAI and EMILY remain.]  
  
LORELAI: I'm going to find Rory, now.  
  
EMILY: I'll come with you.  
  
LORELAI: No, Mom. Give her a chance to cool off.  
  
EMILY: [sadly] Oh.  
  
LORELAI: Hey, we have this party on Christmas Eve. Come by then, she'll forgive you.  
  
EMILY: Really?  
  
LORELAI: Really. [pause] We'll probably head out. I'm going to find Luke. I'll see you Tuesday.  
  
EMILY: Goodbye, Lorelai.  
  
LORELAI: Goodbye, Mom.  
  
[LORELAI exits leaving EMILY alone.]  
  
PARTY  
  
[LUKE is by the food. LORELAI comes up to him.]  
  
LUKE: Hey.  
  
LORELAI: Hey.  
  
[LUKE is about to kiss her but is not sure he should and pulls back. LORELAI smiles and kisses him instead. RORY and JESS come up behind them, holding hands.]  
  
RORY: Ah hem!  
  
[LUKE and LORELAI break apart.]  
  
LORELAI: [shocked] Rory! I was just coming to find you.  
  
RORY: Sure. when you're lips got unglued from Luke's?  
  
LORELAI: [teasing] You're not the only one who can have fun.  
  
RORY: About that..  
  
LORELAI: We'll talk later, okay?  
  
RORY: Okay. [pause] So you two are.  
  
LORELAI: I don't know. Luke?  
  
LUKE: Uhhh.  
  
LORELAI: We'll save this discussion for another time.  
  
RORY: Good idea. [pause] We're gonna go.  
  
LORELAI: Yup. Us too.  
  
RORY: You okay with me going back with Jess?  
  
LORELAI: Of course, don't stay out too late, k?  
  
RORY: Umm, tell Grandma and Grandpa I said bye?  
  
LORELAI: Yup.  
  
[LUKE and LORELAI go back to kissing. RORY and JESS get their coats and run into PARIS at the door who is also leaving.]  
  
RORY: Have a good time?  
  
PARIS: Yes, thank you.  
  
RORY: Shame Jamie couldn't come.  
  
PARIS: He had stuff to do. He said he'd come on Tuesday.  
  
RORY: Good.  
  
PARIS: Are you okay? You seemed pretty upset.  
  
RORY: [looks up at JESS] Yeah, I'm fine.  
  
PARIS: [uncomfortable] Good. Good, I'll just go now.  
  
RORY: Bye Paris.  
  
PARIS: Bye Rory, Jess.  
  
JESS: See ya.  
  
[PARIS leaves. RORY and JESS roll their eyes and follow.]  
  
GILMORE HOME  
  
[RORY and JESS sit in the car outside the house.]  
  
RORY: Things shouldn't be this out of hand.  
  
JESS: But they are.  
  
RORY: I wish we could just have a Merry Christmas.  
  
JESS: We can.  
  
RORY: I don't want Grandma to be angry.  
  
JESS: You'll patch things up.  
  
RORY: How are you so sure?  
  
JESS: She and your Mom always work out their differences.  
  
RORY: Thanks.  
  
JESS: No problem.  
  
[JESS kisses RORY goodnight before RORY gets out of the car.]  
  
JESS: Bye.  
  
RORY: See you tomorrow?  
  
JESS: Yup.  
  
RORY: Bye.  
  
[RORY goes inside.]  
  
LATER-GILMORE HOUSE  
  
[LORELAI comes and sits on the couch beside RORY.]  
  
RORY: Hey.  
  
LORELAI: Hey. Made it home okay?  
  
RORY: Yeah. [pause] Sorry about tonight.  
  
LORELAI: It's okay.  
  
RORY: [skeptical] Really?  
  
LORELAI: Yeah, you haven't lived life unless Emily catches you making out with a guy.  
  
RORY: Just to clarify, we weren't.we're not.  
  
LORELAI: Just promise me, if you guys do.. have sex, you'll let me know.  
  
RORY: I promise.  
  
LORELAI: It's just that-  
  
RORY: I promise.  
  
LORELAI: [grinning] And you also have to promise to tell me all the gory details.  
  
RORY: Eww, gross.  
  
[LORELAI and RORY hug.]  
  
RORY: So, how's Luke?  
  
LORELAI: Good. Why?  
  
RORY: How's his mouth?  
  
LORELAI: Gross.  
  
RORY: So, you and Luke are together now?  
  
LORELAI: Hey, you and Paris seem to be getting along lately.  
  
RORY: I'm not going to let you change the subject. This is way too important. [pause] So, are you?  
  
LORELAI: I can't hide, can I?  
  
RORY: Nope.  
  
LORELAI: Grandma set us up.  
  
RORY: Grandma?  
  
LORLEAI: Yup. She tricked us into a room with mistletoe.  
  
RORY: So what are you and Luke now?  
  
LORELAI: I don't know. It's weird. I mean, it's me and Luke. We've known each other for like.. forever. He knows me, I know him.  
  
RORY: And you want to be with him, he wants to be with you, and the town can't wait for you guys to hook up.  
  
LORELAI: What do you think?  
  
RORY: Honestly?  
  
LORELAI: Completely honest. Because if you don't like it. Me and Luke will never happen.  
  
RORY: I couldn't ask for a better Dad.  
  
LORELAI: So you think we'll get married?  
  
RORY: If it were up to Luke, in like 5 years.. at least. But since you will propose because he's waay to chicken.. I'll give it a year.  
  
LORELAI: You've planned it?  
  
RORY: We have a pool. If you help me win, I'll split the money.  
  
LORELAI: Deal.  
  
CHRISTMAS EVE PARTY-GILMORE HOUSE  
  
[LORELAI, SOOKIE, and RORY are in the kitchen preparing. The doorbell rings.]  
  
SOOKIE: Oh my god! They're here already! I don't have the food finished yet!  
  
LORELAI: Sookie, calm down. And I wonder why they are ringing the doorbell.  
  
RORY: I'll get the door. Mom, please make sure Sookie doesn't go completely crazy.  
  
LORELAI: [salutes] Aye, aye, captain!  
  
[RORY goes to answer the door. JESS and LUKE are on the other side, arms filled with boxes.]  
  
RORY: Hey.  
  
JESS: Hey.  
  
LUKE: Hey. We would have just come in but we had our hands full.  
  
RORY: It's okay. Mom's in the kitchen.  
  
LUKE: [smiling] Thanks.  
  
[LUKE leaves. RORY smiles and gives JESS a kiss almost causing him to drop the boxes.]  
  
KITCHEN  
  
[LUKE comes in.]  
  
LUKE: Hey.  
  
LORELAI: Hey.  
  
[LUKE gives LORELAI a kiss before leaving again.]  
  
SOOKIE: So are you and Luke together?  
  
LORELAI: Yup.  
  
SOOKIE: Officially?  
  
LORELAI: We talked about it, and yeah, we're going to try it out. [pause] I think it's going to work out.  
  
SOOKIE: Really?  
  
LORELAI: Yeah, we get along and stuff.. Most of the time. Rory likes him, he likes Rory, so we don't have that problem.  
  
SOOKIE: Good.  
  
LORELAI: Yup. Today's our coming out.  
  
SOOKIE: The town will have a field day.  
  
LORELAI: Please, don't remind me.  
  
LATER-PARTY  
  
[Everyone from Stars Hollow and even other towns are around.]  
  
MISS PATTY: [to LORELAI] Is it true?  
  
LORELAI: What?  
  
MISS PATTY: You and Luke?  
  
LORELAI: [dreamily] Yes.  
  
MISS PATTY: Oh, you lucky girl, nice piece of meat you got there.  
  
LORELAI: [still dreamy] Oh yeah.  
  
MISS PATTY: Well, I'll let you and Luke have some fun.  
  
LORELAI: [sarcastically] Thanks, Patty.  
  
[MISS PATTY leaves. KIRK comes to talk to LORELAI.]  
  
KIRK: Lorelai.  
  
LORELAI: Hello, Kirk.  
  
KIRK: How are you?  
  
LORELAI: Good, you?  
  
KIRK: I'm a little hurt, actually.  
  
LORELAI: Really? What's wrong?  
  
KIRK: You didn't tell me you were seeing Luke.  
  
LORELAI: I was supposed to tell you personally?  
  
KIRK: Yes.  
  
LORELAI: Why?  
  
KIRK: Well, we've known each other for a long time, correct?  
  
LORELAI: Quite a while, yes.  
  
KIRK: And we're good friends, correct?  
  
LORELAI: Sure.  
  
KIRK: I just thought that since we were friends you'd have the decency to tell me that you were dating Luke.  
  
LORELAI: Oh, sorry Kirk.  
  
KIRK: You're forgiven, just don't let it happen again.  
  
LORELAI: [humouring him] You have my word.  
  
[KIRK leaves and LORELAI escapes to a corner of the room. LUKE comes up to her.]  
  
LORELAI: Oh, thank god, someone I can talk to!  
  
[They kiss.]  
  
LUKE: Being attacked by curious towns people?  
  
LORELAI: Oh yeah.  
  
LUKE: Maybe we shouldn't have told them at a party.  
  
LORELAI: I'm beginning to think that would have been a good idea.  
  
LUKE: I told you so.  
  
LORELAI: You did not.  
  
LUKE: I did.  
  
LORELAI: I said we should tell people, they're dying to know. You asked when. I said now. You said no because then we'll have to deal with everyone at the party and. okay, fine. Yes, you told me so, but since when do I listen?  
  
LUKE: [joking] What have I gotten myself into?  
  
ELSEWHERE  
  
[PARIS and JAMIE walk up to RORY and JESS who are talking in a corner.]  
  
PARIS: Hey.  
  
RORY: Hi, you made it!  
  
PARIS: You demanded my presence, didn't you?  
  
RORY: I did. [pause] Hi Jamie!  
  
JAMIE: [nervous] Hi.  
  
PARIS: Jamie, Jess. Jess, Jamie.  
  
JAMIE: Hello.  
  
JESS: Hey, man.  
  
[Awkward silence.]  
  
RORY: So, Paris, got any of that homework done?  
  
PARIS: Some, I've been a little busy. You?  
  
RORY: None what so ever. I better get started.  
  
PARIS: [eager] Yup. So.  
  
JAMIE: [to PARIS] I'm going to go get some drinks, you want anything?  
  
PARIS: I'll come with you.  
  
[PARIS and JAMIE leave.]  
  
JESS: That was..  
  
RORY: Awkward?  
  
JESS: Yeah. Jamie is.  
  
RORY: Preppy?  
  
JESS: Pretty much.  
  
ELSEWHERE  
  
[LUKE and LORELAI are in the kitchen fixing up the food.]  
  
LUKE: Where's Sookie?  
  
LORELAI: She needed something and left me in charge to make sure the plates were stocked and what not.  
  
[TAYLOR enters.]  
  
TAYLOR: Luke! Just the man I was looking for.  
  
LUKE: Taylor, what do I owe this pleasure?  
  
TAYLOR: Do not humour me, I am on important business.  
  
LUKE: And that would be?  
  
TAYLOR: I have the petition I promised.  
  
LUKE: Do you?  
  
[TAYLOR takes out a piece of paper and hands it to LUKE. LUKE takes it and looks at it.]  
  
LUKE: This is all you got?  
  
TAYLOR: Yes, it was very hard work.  
  
LUKE: You have like 10 signatures on here. And all of them work at your store.  
  
TAYLOR: The petition was in my store, it's only natural they see it and sign.  
  
LUKE: Sure.  
  
TAYLOR: This petition is legitimate.  
  
LUKE: How many names do you need on a petition to make it come into effect?  
  
TAYLOR: Majority.  
  
LUKE: Is 10 signatures a majority?  
  
TAYLOR: No, but it's the Christmas season and people are busy. So, I made each name represent 300.  
  
LUKE: That's cheating.  
  
TAYLOR: It's written on the paper. See. [points to the section] 'Each name on this petition represents 300 residents of Stars Hollow.'  
  
LUKE: I'm not putting Christmas decorations up in the diner.  
  
LORELAI: It's the day before Christmas, what's the point?  
  
TAYLOR: Hey, I'm not the one who signed it.  
  
LORELAI: What?  
  
[LUKE inspects the paper closer.]  
  
LUKE: [to LORELAI] You signed it.  
  
LORELAI: [confused] What? I did not!  
  
LUKE: How could you sign this?  
  
LORELAI: I didn't!  
  
[LUKE shows LORELAI the paper. Her signature is there.]  
  
LORELAI: Oh my god, how did I sign that? I don't remem- oh.  
  
LUKE: Oh?  
  
LORELAI: Well. I was tricked! I was having fun signing my name on stuff and Rory said I should stop using my credit card to sign the receipts, so, I went into the store to sign the stuff I could. I guess I signed the paper. I didn't mean to! Forgive me?  
  
LUKE: Fine.  
  
[They kiss. LUKE rips up the paper behind her back.]  
  
TAYLOR: [angry] Hmph! Please, keep these public displays of affection to a minimum or else I will be forced to take action. And please tell Rory and Jess.  
  
ELSEWHERE  
  
[RORY and LANE are talking.]  
  
LANE: Great party.  
  
RORY: Thanks.  
  
[They hug.]  
  
LANE: I like the music.  
  
RORY: You chose it.  
  
LANE: See, I like the music.  
  
RORY: Dave here?  
  
LANE: [giggly] Yes! He's getting drinks right now.  
  
RORY: Very gentlemanly.  
  
LANE: I know! He's just so great, and wonderful, and cute. and there's no way in a million years my mother with ever approve of him.  
  
RORY: [sigh] He's neither Korean or a doctor.  
  
LANE: I was thinking she could over look that, which would be impossible. So, plan B is to put a lot of make up on Dave, make him *look* Korean, and forge a doctor certificate.  
  
RORY: Lane, Dave won't look remotely Korean even with the make up. How about plastic surgery?  
  
LANE: But plastic surgery is a permanent thing. and I see where you're going with this, I'm crazy.  
  
RORY: You just need to calm down, take it one day at a time.  
  
LANE: Yeah, yeah. Good idea.  
  
[DAVE and JESS walk up to the girls.]  
  
JESS: [to Lane] You picked a good one.  
  
LANE: Really?  
  
JESS: Yeah.  
  
DAVE: [to RORY] Yours is crazy.  
  
RORY: [nods] I know. But I like him anyway.  
  
[JESS and RORY kiss.]  
  
LATER  
  
[EMILY and RICHARD enter. RORY sees them and rushes over.]  
  
RORY: Grandma! Grandpa!  
  
[RORY hugs both grandparents.]  
  
RORY: I didn't know you guys were coming.  
  
EMILY: Your mother suggested we come. After the other night, she thought it would be a good way to make up. I thought she would have told you.  
  
RORY: No, but it doesn't matter. I'm glad you guys could make it.  
  
RICHARD: Us, too. [hands RORY some presents] Here are a few gifts.  
  
RORY: Oh, thank you!  
  
[LORELAI walks in.]  
  
LORELAI: Oooh! Goodie, presents!  
  
EMILY: Lorelai, that is no way to make an entrance.  
  
LORELAI: Sorry. [takes the boxes] I'll just go put these under the tree. You guys talk and stuff.  
  
[LORELAI leaves.]  
  
RORY: About Saturday-  
  
RICHARD: It's okay, Rory.  
  
RORY: No, we shouldn't have been in Mom's room. It was rude, and bad, and it won't happen again, I promise.  
  
EMILY: Really, Rory, it's alright.  
  
RORY: I'm really sorry.  
  
EMILY: It's really alright. Your mother made me realize that sometimes there are things you just can't control.  
  
RORY: Mom made you realize that?  
  
EMILY: With help from your grandfather.  
  
RICHARD: She was very hard to persuade, but I think I got the job done.  
  
RORY: So, we're good?  
  
EMILY: Yes, we are, as you say it 'good'.  
  
RICHARD: Agreed. Now, what do you say for some good reading material while everyone else socializes?  
  
RORY: I do believe I have some of Jess's Hemingway if you'd care to read that.  
  
RICHARD: That would be great.  
  
LATER  
  
[EMILY is talking to BABETTE when LORELAI walks over.]  
  
BABETTE: Oh, and we just love cats. They are my life, I just don't know what I'd do without them.  
  
LORELAI: [interrupting] Hey guys.  
  
EMILY: [relieved] Oh, Lorelai!  
  
BABETTE: Heya, hon.  
  
LORELAI: Having a good time?  
  
BABETTE: Yes, your parties are always a blast.  
  
LORELAI: Good. Morey is looking for you, hon.  
  
BABETTE: Oh, thank you, dear, I better go find him.  
  
LORELAI: See ya.  
  
[BABETTE leaves.]  
  
EMILY: My god, I thought she'd never shut up.  
  
LORELAI: [warning] Mom.  
  
EMILY: You have a very diverse group of friends here, Lorelai.  
  
LORELAI: I do. [pause] Did you and Rory make up?  
  
EMILY: Yes, we did.  
  
LORELAI: So we can come next Friday and there will be no death glares from either of you.  
  
EMILY: Rory sends me death glares?  
  
LORELAI: No, but. You know what I mean.  
  
EMILY: Very rarely, but this time, yes. [pause] Are you and Luke together now?  
  
LORELAI: We're gonna try. [pause] Thank you. I'm not sure either one of us had the guts to make the first move.  
  
EMILY: I'm just glad I don't have to see the two of you hide your feelings anymore.  
  
LORELAI: Thank you.  
  
EMILY: You're welcome.  
  
[Silence.]  
  
LORELAI: So. where's Dad?  
  
ELSEWHERE  
  
[RICHARD is outside reading and JESS joins him.]  
  
JESS: Little cold to be outside?  
  
RICHARD: I could say the same for you.  
  
JESS: It's too hot in there.  
  
RICHARD: It is.  
  
[JESS sits beside RICHARD.]  
  
JESS: Look, I'm really sorry about Saturday. I don't want-  
  
RICHARD: Don't bother. Frankly, I'm not that worried about it.  
  
JESS: Seriously?  
  
RICHARD: Yes, I know how much Rory likes you. You make her happy, and you are a great deal better than her last boyfriend.  
  
JESS: I hope so. The guy was a jerk.  
  
[Silence.]  
  
JESS: Enjoying my Hemingway book?  
  
RICHARD: Yes, as a matter of fact, I am. You don't mind, do you?  
  
JESS: Nope.  
  
RICHARD: I really enjoy your insights.  
  
JESS: Ahh, the infamous margin notes. Rory loves them.  
  
RICHARD: I can see why, you're a brilliant young man, Jess. You'll be very successful in life.  
  
JESS: [sarcastically] Great.  
  
LATER  
  
[The party has ended and most people have left, just a few people being polite and helping put away a few things before leaving themselves. RORY, LORELAI, JESS, and LUKE are at the door saying goodnight.]  
  
RORY: All I want to do is sleep and never get up.  
  
JESS: But tomorrow's Christmas.  
  
RORY: And Mom will wake me up at the crack of dawn.  
  
JESS: I assume I'll be seeing you for coffee, then?  
  
RORY: You bet.  
  
[RORY pulls him into a kiss, and he leans into her, deepening the kiss.]  
  
LORELAI: [to LUKE] Awww, that's so cute. [to JESS and RORY] Okay, you two, that's enough. Break it up.  
  
JESS: [to RORY] Bye.  
  
[RORY gives JESS a quick kiss.]  
  
RORY: Bye.  
  
[LORELAI kisses LUKE.]  
  
LORELAI: Bye.  
  
LUKE: Bye.  
  
[LUKE and JESS leave. LORELAI leans on RORY as they walk away from the door, slowly.]  
  
LORELAI: Remind me again, why did we throw this party?  
  
RORY: You thought it would be a good idea at the time.  
  
LORELAI: Don't let me throw another party again.  
  
RORY: I'll try. But last time I tried to talk you out of something, you ended up pulling me into it too.  
  
LORELAI: Maybe you should just lock me in my room.  
  
RORY: I can do that.  
  
LORELAI: And send Luke in.  
  
RORY: Gross.  
  
LORELAI: Tired.  
  
RORY: Very.  
  
LORELAI: Very, very, tired.  
  
RORY: Let's go to bed.  
  
LORELAI: Good idea. Night, babe.  
  
RORY: Night, Mom.  
  
[RORY and LORELAI go their separate ways.]  
  
LORELAI: Hey, Rory?  
  
RORY: Mmm?  
  
LORELAI: Don't let me throw a party again.  
  
RORY: Will do.  
  
[Both go off to bed into a deep sleep filled with dreams of their guys.]  
  
CHRISTMAS MORNING  
  
[LORELAI is jumping up and down on RORY'S bed.]  
  
LORELAI: [yelling] It's Christmas! It's Christmas!  
  
[RORY hides under the covers.]  
  
RORY: Mom, what time did we go to bed last night?  
  
LORELAI: I dunno, late.  
  
RORY: And, what time is it now?  
  
LORELAI: I dunno, early.  
  
RORY: I'm tired.  
  
LORELAI: But it's Christmas!  
  
RORY: [groaning] Gimme five minutes.  
  
LORELAI: I'll start without you!  
  
RORY: Get me some coffee and I'll join you.  
  
LORELAI: [excited] Coffee!  
  
[LORELAI dances out of the room.]  
  
LORELAI: Coffee! Christmas! Coffee! Christmas! Coffee! Christmas!  
  
APARTMENT  
  
[JESS emerges from his room, LUKE is at the kitchen table with a small package in front of him.]  
  
LUKE: Hey.  
  
JESS: Hey.  
  
LUKE: Merry Christmas.  
  
JESS: You too. [pause] So, uh..  
  
LUKE: This is awkward.  
  
JESS: That it is.  
  
[LUKE stands.]  
  
LUKE: I, uh. I got something for ya. Not much, but it's Christmas and. yeah.  
  
[JESS pulls out a package from behind his back.]  
  
JESS: I got you something, too.  
  
[They stand awkwardly.]  
  
LUKE: I guess we should open them.  
  
JESS: Yeah, good idea.  
  
[They open their presents. Jess got a book, Luke got a sign that says "when hell freezes over."]  
  
JESS: I didn't know what you'd want.. I figured you could point to that when Lorelai's begging you for coffee or something.  
  
LUKE: No, it's great. Thanks. [points to book] Rory helped me out with that.  
  
JESS: Figured. It's great, thanks.  
  
[More awkwardness.]  
  
LUKE: So do we.  
  
JESS: I dunno.  
  
[LUKE uneasily steps up and pulls JESS into a quick hug, and he hugs back.]  
  
JESS: So.  
  
LUKE: Open the diner? The girls should be here soon.  
  
JESS: [relieved] Definitely.  
  
[LUKE and JESS go downstairs, never to speak of the moment again.]  
  
LUKE'S  
  
[LORELAI and RORY run in.]  
  
LORELAI: [yelling] MERRY CHIRSTMAS!!!  
  
LUKE: You don't have to yell, we're right here.  
  
[LORELAI rolls her eyes and goes to kiss LUKE. RORY meets JESS at the counter. He kisses her quickly before handing her a gift. She gives him one too.]  
  
RORY: Hey.  
  
JESS: Hi.  
  
RORY: Merry Christmas.  
  
JESS: You too.  
  
[They open their presents. He gives her a Hemingway book, she gives him an Ayn Rand book. They look at each other and laugh, and then kiss.]  
  
LORELAI: Merry Christmas.  
  
LUKE: Merry Christmas.  
  
[They exchange gifts. For him a flannel shirt, for her a silver chain necklace.]  
  
LORELAI: Thanks, it's gorgeous.  
  
LUKE: Thank you.  
  
LORELAI: Now, I want some coffee.  
  
LUKE: Hey, wait here a sec, I got something else.  
  
[LUKE runs upstairs and then comes back down with the sign, a hammer, and some nails. He hammers the new sign beside the "no cell phones" sign.]  
  
LORELAI: Hey!  
  
LUKE: Thanks, Jess.  
  
JESS: [smirking] Anytime.  
  
LORELAI: [to JESS] I'm so gonna kill you for this.  
  
SOOKIE'S  
  
[SOOKIE, JACKSON, LORELAI, RORY, JESS, and LUKE are seated around a table covered in food.]  
  
SOOKIE: I have turkey, chicken, and fish. Garden salad, caesar salad, potato salad, and coleslaw. Stuffing, homemade cranberry sauce and-  
  
LORELAI: Sook, honey, I think we get the point. There's a whole lotta food here.  
  
RORY: We'll be eating the left overs until we're old, grey, and wrinkly.  
  
[They begin to eat, but Jackson stops them.]  
  
JACKSON: Wait! Stop! Before we eat, we should have a toast.  
  
LORELAI: Bang the glass!  
  
JACKSON: What?  
  
LORELAI: When you make a toast, you tap your glass with a utensil to get people's attention.  
  
JACKSON: Fine. [taps the glass] Happy?  
  
LORELAI: Very much so.  
  
JACKON: A toast to my wife Sookie. Our first Christmas together. And honey, you made enough food to feed a large army, next time cut back a little?  
  
SOOKIE: [giggles] Oh, Jackson. A toast to Jackson, my husband, my produce man, and my friend.  
  
LORELAI: To all you guys for being the best. Except for Jess, who hasn't quite got his name off my potential enemies list.  
  
JESS: Thanks, good to know. To Hemingway.  
  
RORY: [mock hurt] Hey! What about me?  
  
JESS: And to Rory.  
  
RORY: [smiling] To Jess. And to everyone else.  
  
LUKE: To Lorelai, and now we're together, I will make it my life's mission to cut your coffee intake back.  
  
LORELAI: Blasphemous!  
  
RORY: Oh, the nightmares.  
  
JESS: Bad move, man.  
  
JACKSON: Back to the toast.  
  
[JACKSON gives the lead to raise the glasses, numerous clings follow.]  
  
LATER  
  
[They are all standing at the door saying goodbye.]  
  
LORELAI: Sookie, thank you so much for dinner.  
  
SOOKIE: My pleasure. Merry Christmas.  
  
LORELAI: Merry Christmas.  
  
SOOKIE: [to everyone] Merry Christmas!  
  
EVERYONE: Merry Christmas!  
  
[LORELAI, LUKE, RORY, and JESS are just down the street from SOOKIE'S.]  
  
RORY: Hey, Mom, we're going to go for a walk.  
  
LORELAI: Okay, don't stay out too late.  
  
RORY: I'll be home soon.  
  
[They hug.]  
  
LORELAI: Merry Christmas.  
  
RORY: Merry Christmas.  
  
LATER  
  
[RORY and JESS stop at the bridge. They dust the layer of snow off and sit and snuggle.]  
  
RORY: So, has this been the best Christmas ever?  
  
JESS: [smiling] Until next year.  
  
RORY: I'm glad you came to Stars Hollow.  
  
JESS: Me too.  
  
RORY: Are we.  
  
JESS: What?  
  
RORY: Serious? Our relationship, I mean.  
  
JESS: What do you want?  
  
RORY: I want to be serious.  
  
JESS: Then I guess we are.  
  
RORY: Good.  
  
JESS: Good.  
  
[JESS smiles and kisses RORY.]  
  
JESS: Merry Christmas, Rory.  
  
RORY: Merry Christmas, Jess.  
  
[END] 


	5. Look Who's Crazy Now

GILMORE DAYS  
  
Title: Look Who's Crazy Now  
  
Author: mocha-queen  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me. All of it belongs to those whose names appear on screen.  
  
Spoilers: General season 2 and parts of season 3. I just took a few things because I accidentally incorporated them later. Takes place in season 3. Dave is here.  
  
Summary: Christopher returns and causes problems; Lane tries to find a way to deal with her Mom and Dave.  
  
Author Notes: This fic is basically my idea season 3, so it's a rewrite of GG season 3 and most of the TV stuff hasn't really happened unless I've incorporated it. But I ran into a problem when I put Dave in, when he wasn't really supposed to be there. So, let's just pretend that Dave came in like he did in the show.  
  
Thank you to all of you who have feedbacked. It means so much. And if you haven't sent feedback, please do! Again, all ideas for what else should happen are welcome.  
  
Woo hoo! More! I have major plans for this now. I'm going to put major spoilers in it later, but for now, nothing more than general GG. I'm also going to see what I can do about a prequel type thing to this, taking place during the summer after "I Can't Get Started" up to "Beauty and the Beast."  
  
(Shameless plug, go read my other fic, "Let's Dance.")  
  
And last but certainly not least... I'm starting a Jess archive called "the Jess Situation." This archive will carry all pairings, ratings, and everything else Jess. It's not up yet, but Jewls and I are collecting fic. More like Jewls is collecting fic because I'm pregnant and she has more time to organize this stuff. So, if you would like to have your work posted, please let one of us know. And check out her stuff, under the name Jewls13, while you're at it. She's a great writer. ( http://www.fanfiction.net/profile.php?userid=133821 )  
  
Okay, I think that's it. Phew! Long AN. Possibly the longest.. and look, still going. Stopping now.  
  
****  
  
GILMORE LIVINGROOM  
  
[LORELAI and RORY are sitting on the couch watching a blank TV screen.]  
  
RORY: So what are we doing?  
  
LORELAI: Shhh...  
  
[Silence.]  
  
RORY: Again, what are we doing here?  
  
LORELAI: Shhh...  
  
[Silence.]  
  
RORY: [annoyed] Mom...  
  
[LORELAI looks at her watch.]  
  
LORELAI: Wait for it.  
  
[The TV automatically turns on. John Stewart's "the Daily Show" is playing.]  
  
RORY: This is what we were waiting for?  
  
LORELAI: Yes.  
  
RORY: You couldn't just turn on the TV by yourself?  
  
LORELAI: Nope.  
  
RORY: [sighs] Okay.  
  
LORELAI: Well, you know how we always miss "the Daily Show"?  
  
RORY: Yes.  
  
LORELAI: Well, now the TV will automatically turn on when it's time to watch "the Daily Show."  
  
RORY: And if we're not home?  
  
LORELAI: Then the sofa can watch the Daily Show.  
  
RORY: Mom...  
  
LORELAI: Fine, fine, I'll turn it off.  
  
[LORELAI turns off the TV and looks at RORY. The phone rings and neither of them move.]  
  
LORELAI: Let the machine get it.  
  
RORY: We're sitting right here. The phone is a foot away from us on the table.  
  
LORELAI: Let the machine get it.  
  
RORY: But what if it's really important?  
  
LORELAI: Then they'll leave a message.  
  
RORY: But-  
  
[The phone stops ringing and the message comes on. Then the BEEP.]  
  
CHRISTOPHER: Lor, Rory, hi. It's Chris. I guess you're out now, so I'll just leave a message. I miss you guys. I'm sorry about everything, I never meant for it to turn out like this. I just- call me back, okay? Bye.  
  
[Another BEEP when CHRISTOPHER is done. RORY and LORELAI look blankly at the phone.]  
  
RORY: [whispering] Dad.  
  
LORELAI: Yeah.  
  
RORY: Wow.  
  
LORELAI: Yeah.  
  
[Silence.]  
  
LORELAI: Have you talked to him at all since...  
  
[RORY shakes her head.]  
  
LORELAI: It's been like seven months.  
  
RORY: I know.  
  
LORELAI: Are you not talking to him for me?  
  
RORY: [shocked] What?  
  
LORELAI: He left, it hurt, but I don't want you cutting yourself off from your father because of something that happened between him and me.  
  
RORY: [confident] It's not you.  
  
LORELAI: Then why haven't you talked to him?  
  
RORY: [crying] He promised me. He promised that it would last. I made it perfectly clear to him that this was his last chance and he couldn't screw it up.  
  
LORELAI: [continuing] Instead he screwed Sherri.  
  
RORY: Yeah.  
  
LORELAI: Honey, I know you're mad, and you have every right to be...  
  
RORY: But?  
  
LORELAI: But you have to talk to him sometime. He's your father, he loves you.  
  
RORY: And I love him but he hurt me, he hurt you. He hurt us.  
  
LORELAI: I know. It sucks, but you have to talk to him eventually. We're going to have to talk to him, Sherri and their kid. I mean, you're going to be a sister.  
  
RORY: Wow. I never thought about having a sibling. It's always been just me and you.  
  
LORELAI: It will always be just me and you.  
  
RORY: [freaking out] Yeah, but... I'll have a brother or sister soon and I'll have to be their sister and... I don't know how to be a sister!  
  
LORELAI: Rory, honey, calm down. You're not going to be a full time sister. That kid will be living with Chris and Sherri in Boston, you'll have weekend visits. You'll be the cool sister Rory, you'll get to spoil them rotten, give them candy so their teeth fall out and really piss off Sherri.  
  
RORY: [smiling] I like that.  
  
LORELAI: No one's going to force you to be apart of their lives, but Rory-  
  
RORY: I know. I still have to talk to Dad.  
  
LORELAI: Yeah.  
  
KIM RESIDENCE  
  
[LANE and RORY are in the closet.]  
  
LANE: You going to call him back?  
  
RORY: I should, I mean, he is my Dad.  
  
LANE: You should call him.  
  
RORY: I will... eventually. [pause] So, how are you and Dave?  
  
LANE: [smiling] Really good.  
  
RORY: Found a way around Mrs. Kim yet?  
  
LANE: [shakes her head] No. [pause] I really like Dave.  
  
RORY: I know.  
  
LANE: I've never liked a boy like this. Ever.  
  
RORY: I know.  
  
LANE: I want to be able to date him without worrying about my mother.  
  
RORY: I know.  
  
LANE: I need to find a way for Mama to like him, approve of him, despite his non-Korean status, and let me date him.  
  
RORY: Good luck with that.  
  
LANE: Thanks. Any ideas?  
  
RORY: Giving Dave plastic surgery becomes more and more appealing each day, doesn't it?  
  
LANE: Sadly, yes. But I need a better idea because I like Dave just the way he is.  
  
RORY: Maybe you should just talk to Mrs. Kim.  
  
LANE: Look who went crazy!  
  
RORY: I'm serious.  
  
LANE: You've met Mrs. Kim, right?  
  
RORY: She probably would have let you go out with Henry if you told her.  
  
LANE: He was Korean!  
  
RORY: Just talk to her.  
  
LANE: Talk to Mrs. Kim about a non-Korean boy? Seriously, Rory, you're even crazier than your mother.  
  
RORY: Lane, you're running out of options. You need to talk to her.  
  
LANE: I know.  
  
RORY: Maybe invite Dave over. Make her like him and.  
  
LANE: And you're crazy again!  
  
RORY: Why is that so crazy?  
  
LANE: Invite a non-Korean boy over in front of Mrs. Kim? Sounds crazy.  
  
RORY: Lane...  
  
LANE: I know. I'll talk to her.  
  
NEXT DAY-LUKE'S DINER  
  
[LORELAI and RORY walk in. LUKE is manning the diner.]  
  
LORELAI: [laughing] So I said to Michel, get your ass up off that chair and gimme a hand!  
  
RORY: I still don't see the funny.  
  
LORELAI: [giving up] Ah, your loss.  
  
[RORY looks at LUKE and points upstairs.]  
  
RORY: Luke?  
  
LUKE: Yeah, yeah, go. Tell him he needs to fix the toaster, too.  
  
RORY: Okay.  
  
[RORY runs up stairs. LORELAI leans over the counter and kisses LUKE square on the lips.]  
  
LUKE: You know how I feel about public displays of affection.  
  
[TAYLOR walks in and stops at the door. LORELAI kisses LUKE again.]  
  
TAYLOR: Luke! I need you to sign these forms! All storeowners have to sign them, agreeing to the new storefront policy.  
  
[LORELAI and LUKE are still kissing.]  
  
TAYLOR: [yelling] Luke! LUKE! We need to make sure that there are no obscene objects in store windows.  
  
[LORELAI and LUKE continue kissing.]  
  
TAYLOR: [raging] LUKE! Listen to me! This is important and I have everyone's signature but yours! [pause] Fine! Be that way! Come find me when you're finished.  
  
[TAYLOR leaves. LORELAI and LUKE break apart.]  
  
LUKE: Now that was funny.  
  
[LUKE kisses LORELAI again.]  
  
UPSTAIRS  
  
[RORY walks into the apartment as JESS walks out of the bathroom, after his shower, with a towel around his waist.]  
  
JESS: Hey.  
  
RORY: [embarrassed] Sorry-I should have knocked first, I didn't know-  
  
[JESS cuts her off with a kiss.]  
  
RORY: [breathless] Hi.  
  
JESS: Hey. Just lemme put some clothes on and we'll go do something, kay?  
  
[RORY nods and JESS goes to change. RORY picks up a book and reads while she waits. JESS comes out a few minutes later, fully clothed, and sits beside RORY and reads over her shoulder.]  
  
JESS: Good book?  
  
RORY: You tell me. Judging by your margin notes, I'd say you've read this many times.  
  
JESS: Good book.  
  
RORY: [smiles] Good.  
  
[RORY goes back to reading. JESS starts kissing RORY'S neck. RORY tries to pay attention to the book but JESS is very distracting, she forgoes the book and leans back so he can play.]  
  
RORY: mmm.  
  
JESS: You like?  
  
RORY: [smiling] I definitely like.  
  
[LUKE stomps up the stairs and throws open the door, RORY and JESS quickly separate.]  
  
LUKE: What the hell is going on here? Wait, you know what? I don't want to know. Jess, downstairs now.  
  
JESS: [shrugs] Fine.  
  
[JESS goes to the door.]  
  
LUKE: Rory, your mom wants to talk to you.  
  
RORY: Okay.  
  
[RORY follows JESS out the door, he drapes an arm over her shoulder and pulls her close. They run into LORELAI on the stairs.]  
  
LORELAI: [smiling] My turn.  
  
RORY: Ew, gross.  
  
LORELAI: Just kidding.  
  
RORY: Still gross.  
  
LORELAI: Grandma wants us to bring the guys to dinner tomorrow.  
  
RORY: She already met them.  
  
LORELAI: I know.  
  
RORY: And she wants to see them again?  
  
LORELAI: That's what she implied over the phone.  
  
RORY: Why does she want to see them again?  
  
LORELAI: Hon, you're guess is as good as mine. Now, be a good little girl and wait out in the car for mommy.  
  
RORY: What are you going to do?  
  
LORELAI: [smiling wickedly] Say goodbye to Luke.  
  
RORY: Gross.  
  
[JESS and RORY continue down the stairs while LORELAI runs up.]  
  
KIM RESIDENCE  
  
[LANE comes down the stairs.]  
  
LANE: Mama?  
  
MRS. KIM: Kitchen!  
  
[LANE walks into the kitchen, MRS. KIM is making tea.]  
  
MRS. KIM: Tea?  
  
LANE: No thank you. Mama, I need to talk to you.  
  
MRS. KIM: You talk right now.  
  
LANE: Yes, and I would like to continue talking.  
  
MRS. KIM: Hurry up, then. I have customers.  
  
LANE: I was...  
  
MRS. KIM: Yes?  
  
LANE: I was wondering if... [quickly] I could go see Rory?  
  
MRS. KIM: No, you must finish your homework.  
  
LANE: Mama, it's done.  
  
MRS. KIM: No, you cannot see Rory, anything else?  
  
LANE: Yes.  
  
MRS. KIM: Make it quick.  
  
LANE: I... I want to invite a friend from school. We have a project we need to work on.  
  
MRS. KIM: Who is this friend from school?  
  
LANE: His name is Dave Rygalski.  
  
MRS. KIM: Doesn't sound Korean.  
  
LANE: He's not.  
  
MRS. KIM: No. Can't work with non-Korean boy.  
  
LANE: It's a school project.  
  
MRS. KIM: What project?  
  
LANE: It's on music.  
  
MRS. KIM: No. You can't work on project either.  
  
LANE: It's history!  
  
MRS. KIM: You said music.  
  
LANE: Classical music. We have to research composers and their pieces.  
  
MRS. KIM: Classical music?  
  
LANE: Yes.  
  
MRS. KIM: You stay in kitchen, your eye stay on work. No talking about anything but school.  
  
LANE: Yes, Mama.  
  
GILMORE HOUSE  
  
[RORY is in her room getting ready to go to dinner and talking on the phone with LANE.]  
  
RORY: So you're going to do extra work on classical music composers just to hang out with Dave?  
  
LANE: Yes.  
  
RORY: [skeptical] Okay.  
  
LANE: No, it'll be perfect.  
  
RORY: [sighing] Explain.  
  
LANE: I know Mama said that we can only talk about school...  
  
RORY: But?  
  
LANE: But what if we get into a discussion about God?  
  
RORY: Continue.  
  
LANE: If Mama hears that Dave worships God and that he's very strong on religion, she'll like him, and she'll let me like him. And I'll get to date Dave Rygalski without him dying a painful death from my mother!  
  
RORY: Well, that was well thought out.  
  
LANE: Spur of the moment when I couldn't actually tell Mama about Dave.  
  
RORY: Very good thinking.  
  
[The doorbell rings.]  
  
LORELAI: [from the hall] Ror, the guys are here!  
  
RORY: [to LORELAI] Coming! [to LANE] I gotta go. Friday night dinner with the guys.  
  
LANE: Yeah, good luck with that.  
  
RORY: Good luck with you and Dave.  
  
LANE: Thanks. I'll call you tomorrow after he leaves.  
  
RORY: You better.  
  
LANE: Bye.  
  
RORY: Bye.  
  
[RORY hangs up the phone and hops off the bed to meet JESS. RORY jumps into his arms.]  
  
RORY: Hey.  
  
JESS: Hey.  
  
[They kiss. LORELAI and LUKE are kissing but pull away.]  
  
LORELAI: Awww, now let's go.  
  
[RORY and JESS follow LUKE and LORELAI to the car and they drive off.]  
  
ELDER GILMORE HOUSE-OUTSIDE  
  
[RORY, JESS, LUKE and LORELAI are standing outside the door.]  
  
LORELAI: [to RORY] You ring it.  
  
RORY: [to LORELAI] No, you ring it.  
  
LORELAI: [to JESS] You ring it.  
  
JESS: [to LORELAI] No, you ring it.  
  
[LORELAI looks at LUKE but before she can talk he rings the doorbell.]  
  
LUKE: I'll ring it.  
  
LORELAI: [pouting] Hey! You spoiled our fun.  
  
LUKE: I'll make it up to you.  
  
LORELAI: Yay! Junk food!  
  
[EMILY answers the door.]  
  
EMILY: Come in, come in. Richard won't be joining us tonight, he's stuck at the office.  
  
LORELAI: Out with the secretary again, huh?  
  
EMILY: What?  
  
LORELAI: I was-  
  
LUKE: [interrupting] Emily, nice to see you again.  
  
EMILY: Yes, you too.  
  
LORELAI: [continuing] I was just making a joke that-  
  
RORY: Grandma, hi.  
  
EMILY: Hello Rory, hello Jess.  
  
JESS: Ma'am.  
  
LORELAI: [continuing] I just meant that Dad was-  
  
EMILY: Dinner is being served early.  
  
RORY: Great, I'm starving.  
  
LORELAI: [yelling] Hey! Dad's having an affair with his secretary!  
  
EMILY: [horrified] Lorelai, don't say such a thing.  
  
LORELAI: I wasn't-  
  
EMILY: I don't care. It's rude to make vulgar comments about your father having an affair with his secretary!  
  
[EMILY leads LUKE, JESS and RORY to the dinning room. LORELAI follows, slowly.]  
  
LORELAI: [quietly, to herself] It was just a joke.  
  
[They are all sitting around the table eating when the door bell rings.]  
  
EMILY: Now, who on earth could that be?  
  
[The maid opens the door and CHRISTOPHER walks in.]  
  
CHRISTOPHER: Lor-We need to talk.  
  
[LORELAI is in shock, RORY looks like she's about to cry, JESS puts his arm around RORY, LUKE puts his hand over LORELAI'S, EMILY looks blankly at all of them.]  
  
CHRISTOPHER: Lorelai, we really need to talk.  
  
LORELAI: Christopher, now is not the time.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: Please.  
  
[LORELAI gets up and leads him out the front door, not closing it completely.]  
  
LORELAI: What are you doing here?  
  
CHRISTOPHER: I miss you.  
  
LORELAI: What are you doing here?  
  
CHRISTOPHER: You never returned my phone calls.  
  
LORELAI: Christopher, answer my question. What the hell are you doing here?  
  
CHRISTOPHER: You've been avoiding me, I called the other day and you haven't called me back.  
  
LORELAI: Maybe we were busy, not everything revolves around you. And what about the seven months of us not calling back? You didn't come and visit then.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: Seven months?  
  
LORELAI: Yes.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: We haven't talked for seven months?  
  
LORELAI: [coldly] You've talked.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: Lor, Can we please-  
  
LORELAI: Please? Please what, Chris? Please not do this? No. You came here, and we're going to have this conversation that's been seven months in the making.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: If you're going to freak out over this, then maybe I don't want to talk to you.  
  
LORELAI: Where the hell do you get off being so superior?  
  
CHRISTOPHER: What?  
  
LORELAI: You come here, I fall for you again, you promised me that this time it would be different. But most importantly, you promised your daughter that this would work.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: Lorelai...  
  
LORELAI: No! You promised Rory that this would work out, that we'd be a family. You promised her and you left. You broke her heart, Chris, and she's not just going to forgive you this time. You took it too far.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: I never meant for this to happen.  
  
LORELAI: No, you didn't mean for a lot of things to happen. You didn't mean to get me pregnant, you didn't mean to have Rory then, you didn't mean to not go to Princeton, you didn't mean to make promises you couldn't keep, or not come and visit Rory as much as either of you would have liked. You didn't mean to get Sherri pregnant and you didn't mean to break our hearts! But you did!  
  
CHRISTOPHER: [sadly] I'm sorry.  
  
LORELAI: [coldly] That doesn't change anything.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: What do you want me to say? Lor, I'm out of ideas here, I don't know what more I can do.  
  
LORELAI: You could start by saying why you're here.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: I miss you. I miss Rory. I haven't seen Rory in seven months, apparently.  
  
LORELAI: And whose fault is that?  
  
CHRISTOPHER: Yours.  
  
LORELAI: [taken back] Excuse me?  
  
CHRISTOPHER: You're keeping Rory away from me.  
  
LORELAI: Okay, you just crossed that line.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: What line?  
  
LORELAI: The line that's marked with neon flashing signs saying, "Do not cross!" Where the hell do you get off telling me that I'm keeping Rory away from you? I've never kept her away from you. You're her father and she needs you. I've never, ever kept her from you.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: Really?  
  
LORELAI: Really.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: Then why hasn't she called? Written a letter? Stopped by?  
  
LORELAI: Because she's mad!  
  
CHRISTOPHER: I have a hard time believing this is just her.  
  
LORELAI: It is just her. You promised her and you broke that promise. She banked everything on us, Chris, and you just left. You didn't even tell her yourself.  
  
[The voices drift from the open door. RORY is shocked, listening to the conversation and when her name comes up, she gets up to defend LORELAI. JESS tries to hold her back but she goes. RORY appears at the door surprising both CHRISTOPHER and LOREAI.]  
  
RORY: [coldly] Dad.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: [softly] Rory, I missed you.  
  
[CHRISTOPHER moves to hug RORY but she backs away to LORELAI.]  
  
RORY: Mom had nothing to do with it.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: You hate me that much not to talk to me?  
  
RORY: I don't hate you.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: Then why haven't you called? I haven't seen you, never the less heard from you in seven months!  
  
RORY: It's hard, okay?  
  
CHRISTOPHER: I know it's hard.  
  
RORY: [yelling] No you don't! You're never around, you know nothing!  
  
LORELAI: Honey, calm down.  
  
RORY: [to LORELAI] No. He promised me he'd be here and he left. [to CHRISTOPHER] Dad, the one thing that I ever wanted from you was to be my dad and you promised me that you'd be there. You promised.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: Ror, I'm sorry. But-  
  
RORY: [angry] No! I don't care. You let us down, we were counting on you and you let us down!  
  
CHRISTOPHER: [defensively] Some things came up.  
  
RORY: [bitterly] Things always come up. [softly] But you know what sucked the most? Is you getting Mom to tell me.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: Rory.  
  
RORY: I don't want to see you right now.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: [pleading] Rory!  
  
LORELAI: Rory, honey, go inside.  
  
[RORY looks sadly at CHRISTOPHER and LORELAI then goes inside.]  
  
CHRISTOPHER: She hates me.  
  
LORELAI: Give her time.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: So, what now?  
  
LORELAI: Chris, I want to know what you're doing here. And I know it's not just because you miss us.  
  
[Silence.]  
  
CHRISTOPHER: Lor, I'm sorry but things are just...  
  
LORELAI: Just what?  
  
CHRISTOPHER: I don't know what I'm doing anymore.  
  
LORELAI: Did you ever?  
  
CHRISTOPHER: This is different. I've got a kid.  
  
LORELAI: [sarcastic] And you didn't have one before?  
  
CHRISTOPHER: That's not what I mean. I want to be apart of this child's life but I don't know how.  
  
LORELAI: [sardonic] Eighteen years of practice.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: I don't know how you did it, raising Rory.  
  
LORELAI: Maybe you would have if you were around.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: I'm not sure if I want to do this.  
  
LORELAI: What?  
  
CHRISTOPHER: I don't know if I want this kid with Sherri.  
  
LORELAI: A little late for that, Chris. You're out of options.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: I know... I just don't know what to do.  
  
LORELAI: You came here to ask me advice?  
  
CHRISTOPHER: No. [pause] I came here because I want you back.  
  
LORELAI: [completely sarcastic] Here's an idea, ask me to marry you, again!  
  
CHRISTOPHER: Lor, marry me?  
  
LORELAI: [dryly] Not funny, Chris.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: [serious] No, it's not.  
  
LORELAI: What the hell are you doing? You have a kid on the way. With Sherri!  
  
CHRISTOPHER: I know. But Lor, it's always been you. I still want you to be my wife.  
  
LORELAI: [trying to remain calm] It's time for you to go, Christopher.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: No, Lor, we need to talk about this.  
  
LORELAI: You can't just randomly come back and ask me to marry you. And what about Sherri?  
  
CHRISTOPHER: What about her?  
  
LORELAI: Umm, she's carrying your child? You have to be with her, Christopher.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: I don't want this kid, Lor.  
  
LORELAI: We didn't want Rory at the time and she's the best thing that ever happened to us!  
  
CHRISTOPHER: [exasperated] I don't know what to do.  
  
LORELAI: Go back to Sherri, Christopher.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: But Lorelai, I want to be with you.  
  
LORELAI: Chris, I can't. Not this time.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: Why not?  
  
[RORY comes back into the dinning room, crying, JESS tries to comfort her. EMILY has left. LUKE looks worried and decides to go out and rescue LORELAI.]  
  
LORELAI: Because I'm-  
  
[CHRISTOPHER kisses LORELAI just as LUKE walks out side. He backs up and hits the wall causing CHRISTOPHER and LORELAI to look at him.]  
  
LORELAI: Luke, I-  
  
LUKE: [sadly] Don't. Just go.  
  
LORELAI: [cautious] What?  
  
LUKE: You've always wanted to be with him, Lorelai. Just go.  
  
LORELAI: [frantic] No! Luke!  
  
[LUKE turns and goes inside.]  
  
LORELAI: [coldly] Go home, Christopher.  
  
[LORELAI runs in after LUKE. RORY and JESS look up.]  
  
LORELAI: Christopher asked me to marry him.  
  
RORY: You said no.  
  
LORELAI: Then he kissed me and Luke saw.  
  
RORY: Go talk to Luke.  
  
LORELAI: I know you're mad, and I know it's a lot to ask but-  
  
RORY: [nodding] I'll make sure he goes.  
  
LORELAI: Thanks.  
  
[LORELAI runs after LUKE. RORY goes outside and JESS follows, not wanting RORY to face CHRISTOPHER on her own.]  
  
RORY: Dad, go home.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: What was that about?  
  
RORY: What was what about?  
  
CHRISTOPHER: Your Mom and Luke.  
  
RORY: Mom's happy.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: She's with Luke?  
  
RORY: Yes and she's happy.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: I asked her to marry me.  
  
RORY: You can't keep doing that. She's not going to change her mind.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: I noticed.  
  
RORY: I think you should leave.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: Ror, I think we should talk.  
  
RORY: [crying] I don't want to talk right now. I don't want to be standing in front of you right now, but Mom has to fix things with Luke.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: [pleading] Rory, please.  
  
RORY: Dad, no! Not now.  
  
JESS: [coldly] I think you should go now.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: Who are you?  
  
RORY: Dad this is Jess.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: Jess... Jess, why does that sound familiar? [pause] Right, he broke your arm.  
  
RORY: [warning] Dad.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: You know, I never get to chew him out.  
  
RORY: [angry] Dad.  
  
JESS: I can take it.  
  
RORY: [pleading] Jess.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: You hurt her.  
  
RORY: It's over, let's just forget about it.  
  
JESS: I know.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: What are you doing here?  
  
JESS: I could ask you the same question.  
  
RORY: [worried] Hey, guys, can we please stop?  
  
CHRISTOPHER: I came to see my daughter.  
  
JESS: Seems to be the trend.  
  
RORY: [anxious] Guys?  
  
CHRISTOPHER: And what are you doing here?  
  
JESS: Seeing your daughter.  
  
RORY: [softly] Please?  
  
CHRISTOPHER: Are you dating her?  
  
JESS: Define dating.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: Smart ass, huh?  
  
JESS: From what I'm told, you are too.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: We seem to have a lot in common.  
  
JESS: Yet, nothing at all.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: [snapping] What do you mean by that?  
  
RORY: [pleading] Jess, Dad, please stop.  
  
JESS: I don't go around breaking promises.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: Stay out of my business kid, you have no idea.  
  
JESS: I know enough.  
  
RORY: [yelling] STOP!  
  
CHRISTOPHER: Rory, honey, go inside. I want to have a talk with Jess.  
  
RORY: No way, I'm not leaving so you can mangle him.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: I'll be nice.  
  
RORY: [sharply] No!  
  
JESS: Rory, please. I'll take care of it.  
  
RORY: [worried] Jess?  
  
[JESS pulls RORY into his arms and kisses her.]  
  
JESS: Don't worry about it.  
  
[RORY reluctantly leaves JESS and CHRISTOPHER alone.]  
  
JESS: Nice bike.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: Yeah, you got one?  
  
JESS: No. Got a car.  
  
[CHRISTOPHER points to the one behind the jeep.]  
  
CHRISTOPHER: Yours?  
  
JESS: Yeah.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: Good car?  
  
JESS: Gets me where I want to go.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: Don't take Rory in it.  
  
JESS: What?  
  
CHRISTOPHER: The car's crap.  
  
JESS: Whatever, man.  
  
[Silence.]  
  
CHRISTOPHER: What happened to Dean?  
  
JESS: He's sulking around Stars Hollow somewhere.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: I mean Dean and Rory.  
  
JESS: They broke up.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: I bet you swept right in to take advantage of her.  
  
JESS: Who the hell do you think I am?  
  
CHRISTOPHER: I think you're the guy who hurt my daughter.  
  
JESS: I'm not going to hurt her again.  
  
[Silence.]  
  
CHRISTOPHER: If you hurt her, I will kill you.  
  
JESS: Get in line.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: I should go.  
  
JESS: You never should have come.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: Rory needs her father.  
  
JESS: She has one.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: What?  
  
JESS: Luke. In case you haven't noticed, Luke's taken more responsibility for her than you ever have.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: Where are you getting this?  
  
JESS: Rory's told me a lot. Besides, it doesn't take a genius to figure it out.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: I miss her.  
  
JESS: I know.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: I still want to kill you.  
  
JESS: I know.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: But Rory likes you.  
  
JESS: I have no idea why.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: My threat still stands, hurt her and die.  
  
JESS: Lorelai has first dibs.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: Do me a favour?  
  
JESS: [cautious] I don't know.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: Talk to Rory.  
  
JESS: Let her calm down.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: Please?  
  
JESS: I'll try.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: You on good terms with your Dad?  
  
JESS: No. He ditched.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: I'm sorry. I guess you see this from Rory's point of view.  
  
JESS: I understand your reasons, but I don't think it's right to make promises and break them. Especially to your daughter.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: Fine. You'll talk to her?  
  
JESS: Yes, I do occasionally talk to Rory.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: I mean about...  
  
JESS: We'll see.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: I hope you work it out with your Dad.  
  
JESS: That'll never happen.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: I need her, Jess. Rory means everything to me.  
  
JESS: I'll talk to her.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: Thank you.  
  
[CHRISTOPHER rides off and JESS goes back inside to find a worried RORY waiting anxiously by the door.]  
  
RORY: I don't see blood, that's a good sign.  
  
JESS: I'm fine. But I need to talk to you later.  
  
RORY: Okay.  
  
LORELAI'S ROOM  
  
[LUKE is sitting on the bed, his head in his hands. LORELAI walks in and stands in the doorway. LUKE doesn't look up but he knows she's there.]  
  
LUKE: Why aren't you with him?  
  
LORELAI: It's not him I want.  
  
LUKE: Lorelai, I've watched you for years. It's always been Christopher.  
  
LORELAI: [nonchalantly] Well, for years I've never had you. Now I do.  
  
[Silence.]  
  
LORELAI: [desperate] He kissed me. It meant nothing.  
  
LUKE: [coldly] I find that hard to believe.  
  
LORELAI: It meant nothing. Would I lie?  
  
LUKE: Do you really want me to answer that?  
  
LORELAI: Would I lie about that?  
  
LUKE: [reluctant] No.  
  
[LORELAI closes and locks the door then walks over and stands in front of LUKE.]  
  
LORELAI: It meant nothing.  
  
[LUKE looks into her eyes, wanting to believe her.]  
  
LORELAI: Nothing.  
  
[LORELAI tips her head down and captures LUKE'S lips in hers. She pushed him down onto the bed and the kiss becomes more heated, then the clothes fly.]  
  
LIVING ROOM  
  
[RORY, JESS and EMILY are sitting.]  
  
EMILY: How's Christopher?  
  
RORY: He's fine.  
  
EMILY: That's good. How's... that girl?  
  
RORY: Still pregnant.  
  
EMILY: I should have been your mother having his child.  
  
RORY: She did.  
  
EMILY: His other child.  
  
RORY: He asked her to marry him, again.  
  
EMILY: And she said no as always.  
  
RORY: She'll always say no to him.  
  
EMILY: It wouldn't hurt her to at least try it out?  
  
[Silence.]  
  
RORY: Guess third time isn't a charm.  
  
EMILY: Hmm?  
  
RORY: Dad's asked her to marry her three times.  
  
EMILY: Three?  
  
RORY: Oops.  
  
EMILY: Three?  
  
RORY: When he came down to Stars Hollow and his parents came to visit.  
  
EMILY: Ahh.  
  
RORY: She said no.  
  
EMILY: Obviously. [pause] Luke's good for her?  
  
RORY: Luke's good for her.  
  
[EMILY looks at RORY and JESS. RORY'S hand is entwined in JESS'S and resting on RORY'S lap.]  
  
EMILY: [to RORY] Are you happy?  
  
RORY: Yes.  
  
EMILY: [to JESS] We have the highest hopes for Rory. She will graduate at the top of her class, she will attend Harvard, and she will be successful. If you, in any way, distract her and she doesn't achieve these heights I will personally-  
  
JESS: Yeah, I got it. I'll die a million deaths.  
  
EMILY: Okay. Good. Well, I'll just go check on your Mom and Luke.  
  
[EMILY goes upstairs and runs into LUKE and LORELAI emerging from LORELAI'S room, their clothes and hair a mess.]  
  
EMILY: I assume you're heading home, now?  
  
LORELAI: I guess.  
  
EMILY: I'm sorry about Christopher.  
  
LORELAI: Mom, just so you know, me and Christopher, we'll-  
  
EMILY: I know.  
  
LOREALI: Good. I'm really happy with Luke.  
  
[LORELAI pulls LUKE closer to prove her point.]  
  
EMILY: I know. [pause] Goodbye.  
  
LUKE: Goodbye.  
  
LORELAI: Night, Mom.  
  
GILMORE HOUSE  
  
[LOREALI and RORY walk into the house and fall onto the couch.]  
  
LORELAI: Wow.  
  
RORY: Yeah.  
  
LORELAI: I didn't think he'd just show up.  
  
RORY: I know.  
  
LORELAI: Caught us all off guard.  
  
RORY: Yup. [pause] You and Luke?  
  
LORELAI: We're good.  
  
RORY: [smiling] good.  
  
[LORELAI sits up and faces RORY.]  
  
LORELAI: Look, honey, about your Dad and me... I'm sorry. I know how much you've always wanted us together and-  
  
RORY: I know. It's okay, though. You and Luke are happy right?  
  
LORELAI: Right.  
  
RORY: And I'm happy that you and Luke are happy.  
  
LORELAI: Good.  
  
RORY: And Luke's liked you for a really, really long time.  
  
LORELAI: So I've been told.  
  
RORY: It just fits. I'll always want you, me, and Dad to be a family, but Luke's good too. And Luke's always been a part of this family so it's about time he had a more active role.  
  
LORELAI: Really?  
  
RORY: Yeah.  
  
LORELAI: Me and Christopher are never getting together.  
  
RORY: I know.  
  
LORELAI: And you're okay with that?  
  
RORY: I'm okay with Luke.  
  
LORELAI: Good.  
  
RORY: Good.  
  
LORELAI: Long night.  
  
RORY: The longest.  
  
LORELAI: Besides the time we stayed up all night, that was long.  
  
RORY: And the time when were got lost coming back from New York.  
  
LORELAI: And the time that I birthed you.  
  
RORY: That *was* a long night.  
  
LORELAI: You don't remember that night.  
  
RORY: [smirking] Oh, I remember. I remember everything.  
  
LORELAI: Ahh, I passed my knowing-of-all skills to you, didn't I?  
  
RORY: And you thought you were the only one with the power.  
  
LORELAI: Night babe.  
  
RORY: Night mom.  
  
[They hug and go off to their respective rooms.]  
  
KIM RESIDENCE  
  
[DAVE walks in and finds LANE sitting on the stairs waiting.]  
  
DAVE: Hi.  
  
LANE: Hi. [yelling] Mama, Dave's here!  
  
[MRS. KIM walks in and looks DAVE over.]  
  
MRS. KIM: Dave Rygalski?  
  
DAVE: Yes, ma'am.  
  
[DAVE shakes MRS. KIM'S hand.]  
  
DAVE: It's very nice to meet you.  
  
MRS. KIM: I do not approve of you.  
  
DAVE: My intentions are nothing but honourable.  
  
MRS. KIM: You have no intentions with Lane. You go to kitchen, finish homework, then leave. Clear?  
  
DAVE: [nervous] Clear.  
  
[LANE leads DAVE to kitchen and they sit down at the table.]  
  
LANE: [whispering] Oh my God, I'm so sorry.  
  
DAVE: It's okay. We should get working, though.  
  
LANE: [louder] Yes. Work. I wonder if Mozart believed in God?  
  
DAVE: [loud and staged] Yes, I believe he did. I, too, believe in God.  
  
LANE: Really? God is good.  
  
DAVE: I agree. I even brought my bible with me.  
  
[DAVE puts the bible on the table. MRS. KIM walks in and picks up the bible.]  
  
MRS. KIM: What is this?  
  
DAVE: My bible.  
  
MRS. KIM: Your bible?  
  
DAVE: Yes, my bible. I take it everywhere.  
  
MRS. KIM: You religious?  
  
DAVE: Yes.  
  
MRS. KIM: Attend church every Sunday?  
  
DAVE: Yes.  
  
MRS. KIM: How come I never see you?  
  
DAVE: We go to Church in Hartford. My parents are loyal to the minister.  
  
MRS. KIM: Every Sunday?  
  
DAVE: Yes.  
  
MRS. KIM: No skip?  
  
DAVE: No.  
  
MRS. KIM: Good.  
  
LANE: Mama?  
  
MRS. KIM: Yes, Lane?  
  
LANE: Dave's parents will be out of town this weekend and I was wondering if maybe, just maybe, he could attend church with us?  
  
MRS. KIM: Dave sit with us at church?  
  
LANE: Yes.  
  
MRS. KIM: He is a boy.  
  
LANE: Yes.  
  
MRS. KIM: A non-Korean boy. Probably not a doctor. [to DAVE] You doctor?  
  
DAVE: No, not yet.  
  
MRS. KIM: You plan to be doctor?  
  
DAVE: [overly enthusiastic] Yes.  
  
MRS. KIM: You come to Church. Sit away from Lane.  
  
DAVE: Yes, ma'am.  
  
MRS. KIM: Finish work then go.  
  
DAVE: Yes, ma'am.  
  
LUKE'S DINER  
  
[RORY and LANE are at a table.]  
  
RORY: So, he's going to church with you?  
  
LANE: Yes.  
  
RORY: Wow.  
  
LANE: I know!  
  
RORY: I think Mrs. Kim is going soft.  
  
LANE: Don't jinx!  
  
RORY: Sorry.  
  
LANE: I'll give it a month before I ask Mama if I can see Dave in public. As friends.  
  
RORY: And in that time?  
  
LANE: He will have to attend many church functions, study the bible and buy many antiques from the shop.  
  
RORY: And he's willing to do all this?  
  
LANE: I haven't quite discussed it with him yet.  
  
RORY: You should.  
  
LANE: You're so lucky not having to do all this with your mother.  
  
RORY: She wasn't happy with Jess in the beginning.  
  
LANE: But she's warmed up to him.  
  
RORY: She has.  
  
LANE: I haven't said it before, even though I should have. But I'm happy for you.  
  
RORY: Lane?  
  
LANE: No, really. You found Jess, a guy who really likes you, and you really like him, and I'm happy for you.  
  
RORY: Thanks. [pause] I hate to ditch, but-  
  
LANE: Meet Jess?  
  
RORY: Meet Jess.  
  
LANE: Bye!  
  
RORY: Bye!  
  
BRIDGE  
  
[RORY and JESS are sitting on the bridge. RORY is leaning against JESS who is propped up on his arms.]  
  
JESS: I talked with you Dad.  
  
RORY: Oh, no.  
  
JESS: We calmed down after you left.  
  
RORY: And?  
  
JESS: And, you should call him.  
  
RORY: What?  
  
JESS: [slowly] Call him.  
  
RORY: I know what you said. [pause] He set you up to this, didn't he?  
  
JESS: Yeah, he did. But it doesn't mean that he's wrong. Rory, you should talk to him.  
  
RORY: I need to cool down.  
  
JESS: You can't use that excuse forever.  
  
RORY: It's hard. He hurt me.  
  
JESS: I know. But he wants to make it up to you.  
  
RORY: What do you think?  
  
JESS: I think you should call him.  
  
RORY: Personal experience?  
  
JESS: Not really. But if my Dad came back and if I stopped being pissed off at him, I'd give him a second chance.  
  
RORY: [sighing] Okay.  
  
JESS: You'll call?  
  
RORY: [giving in] I'll call.  
  
JESS: [smiling] Good. Now that that's out of the way.  
  
[JESS leans down and pulls RORY into a kiss.]  
  
LATER-GILMORE HOUSE  
  
[RORY is sitting on her bed looking at the cordless phone in her hand. She sighs and dials the number.]  
  
CHRISTOPHER: Hello?  
  
RORY: Hi.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: [surprised] You called.  
  
RORY: I did. [pause] I'm sorry.  
  
CHRISTOPHER: Me too. [pause] So, how's school?  
  
RORY: [smiling] Well, Paris is Paris. And this whole student government gave her a whole new level to play on so my life at school is a living hell no matter where I go, but my grades are good.. [trailing off]  
  
[END] 


End file.
